Dance of Swords 3: Search for Revival
by catse2000
Summary: It has been four years since Rioko was killed and the new team was created, but suddenly, there is a new, much smarter enemy out to get them. In order to throw the team in chaos, he kills Kenya, and now they must travel the world to revive him.
1. They're Back!

Catse: Hey people! Here's the first chapter of the third story of Dance of Swords called, Dance of Swords 3: Search for Revival. Of course you already know the summary from what I have written, but in any case here's the first chapter! Hope you like it! Well I'll go so you can read it.

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Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or its many characters, but I do own the ones I created. : )

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"Sir, another one has been annihilated. What must we do?" Inquired a small man before the throne. He was short and scrawny, with large bulging eyes that revealed every feeling he had in the world no matter how much he tried to cover them up.

The room was dark, lit only by one small lamp that sat next to the throne, and the man sitting there had his legs crossed, the light shining off his glasses.

"I see. These…detectives are becoming quiet a nuisance…" There was silence for a moment as the man thought. The little one could not see him well for the darkness, and in fact, had never seen his master for all the years he had worked for him. He was merely lucky to be in the same room with him.

"Have a message sent. I want Dark Invader to take care of them."

"But sir! They are a group of four! Spirit World's most powerful and dangerous detectives! Are you certain you want Dark Invader to fight them! He may not survive!"

"Do as I say or your head will be the next on my wall of trophies. Understood."  
The little man seemed to crumble beneath his master, and, trembling, he nodded. "Yes sir! It will be done as you ask sir!"

"Good. And Dismal?"

The little man looked up, and nearly shrieked when a dagger came flying at his head. It missed, but it left him in a shake of jitters that reached from his toes to his eyes. "Do not fail me."

The forest was silent. Not a bird peeped. Not a twig cracked. The sun was cast with clouds. The leaves danced on the winds in peace. The animals safely buried in their homes. Overhead, a cat like dragon creature flew, huge wings of lightning lifting it up as it scanned the area. He turned about a few times, and upon spotting what he was looking for, returned to his master with a chirp. Seika extended his arm out for Niko to land on, as Haku reviewed the plans.

"The enemy will search out a place to hide. Considering the forest is dense, we'll have to track him on foot. Seika, you will create a barrier around the perimeter of the forest."

Seika nodded, Niko settling into his shoulder quietly.

"Katai, we'll need you and Kenya to lure him into the clearing in the center. Once there I will trap him."

Katai snickered. Now a girl of fifteen, she had allowed her short squeaky dark brown hair to grow down to her waist, and her brown eyes seemed to dance mischievously as she looked over the map Haku had made in the dirt. She wore a pair of baggy shorts, and a t-shirt with an upside down catch phrase that one had to look at from a strange angle in order to read. She loved that shirt, and wore it as much as possible because it confused people, and gave her a reason to beat up on any one if they attempted to take the right angle to read it with.

Haku, now a boy of twelve, still was the smartest of their team. His red hair was still kept short and straight, his glasses a little smaller to frame his maturing face more, and his cerulean blue eyes seemed a little sweeter than the way they had been when he had first met his team. His apparel was simple: a plaid button up shirt and a pair of somewhat tight jeans that framed him well. Much different compared to four years ago, when his daily clothing was his school uniform.

Seika, the eldest of the team at seventeen, had decided a while back that he would not cut his hair, but let it grow out and keep it in a braid. When asked, he insisted he wanted to look cool, but Katai's only comment on it was that he looked like a girl. His grayish blue eyes danced like the winds, and he had of recent acquired an earring in his left ear, in which he stated made him look cool, but Katai insisted only made him more feminine. His pet Niko, red in fur and gold eyed in nature, sat on his shoulder with the cutest stance it could produce, with his cat tails wrapped around Seika's neck and one paw up to his dragon like mouth as he cleaned himself.

Kenya, now sixteen, was no where to be seen.

"Where is our leader anyways?" Katai inquired, standing up to look at the forest from the cliff they were standing on.

"He decided to get a closer view of the forest. You know him. He likes to know his surroundings." Haku answered, rubbing the plan in the dirt away with his shoe.

"Well, he better get back soon so we can review the plan with him."

Haku smiled. "He already knows the plan and is waiting for our signal to carry it out."

"What? Really? Okay, what signal?" Asked Katai, hands on hips.

Seika turned around to his teammates. "It has to be discreet, right?"

"If Niko could do one last run, I'd like him to tell Kenya to be ready?"

Seika glanced at the pet on his shoulder. "You ready to go little guy?"

Niko chirped and in an instant his electric wings had spouted and he was gone.

"How long will it take Niko to reach Kenya?" Katai asked, kneeling on the ground in preparation to jump.

"About two minutes. You better get going Katai." Seika answered as he placed his index fingers on his temples, concentrating on the barrier he was trying to rig up around the forest.

"Right, meet you on the ground!" Her legs extended and sent her flying over the cliff side, in which she stopped her freefall by landing on a branch. From there, she leapt to the forest floor and ran as fast as her well trained feet would carry her.

Haku stepped over to the cliff, and pulled a leaf out of his pocket. Upon throwing it to the air, it grew to be as large as a surf board, and he jumped on and floated to the clearing elegantly, gliding just above the trees.

Niko flew between the trunks, ignoring his instincts to follow certain peculiar scents as he followed Kenya's. Just ahead, he could hear the slight patting of Kenya's feet on the soggy ground and fallen limbs. His heart rate was fast, and his breath strained, proving that he had been running for a little while.

Niko increased his pace and finally came up to fly right next to Kenya.

"Chirp!"

Kenya glanced only a brief moment at the flying dragon cat, and smiled.

"I got it Niko. Just tell Katai to be ready. I'm going to the South side to keep him from that direction. Tell her to be in the East near the clearing."

"Chirp." Niko stated with a nod, and disappeared.

Kenya kept running, his quiet tennis shoes old and battered, but his favorite none the less. His pants were loose fitting, but not too baggy, and black considering he had picked up his father's taste for the color. His shirt was a simple loose hanging of cloth over his shoulders and chest, and his hair was still short and similar to Hiei's, only a tad bit longer.

He had grown taller too, coming to about an inch or so taller than his older sister Yoru had been, but he was still no match for Seika's six foot two height. Kenya kept no jewelry. He liked stealth and jewelry made noise. On his back were a re-creation of his Twin Dragon Blades, considering both had been destroyed four years ago during what had come to be called the War of the Innocent, by the evil scientist Lord Rioko. Kuwabara's demon friend, Ukiniki, had done the recreation, and instead of having the blades as normal silver, had transformed them into crystal masterpieces.

Kenya stopped for a moment to take a look around him. His eye-sight was the best of all of his friends because in the past, during their first mission, he had been bitten by a demon spider and the venom had done a slight change on his senses. He had the best sight, the best ability for scent, and the best ability to feel vibrations as if they were sounds, and over time he had come to attain a sort of mastery of them.

So far, from what vibrations he received from the forest, and what his eyes were telling him about the trees quivers, the demon they were after was running in a straight line out of the forest, perhaps hoping to find a hiding spot or a dwelling they wouldn't be able to locate him in. A sudden vibe entranced the forest, and Kenya smiled.

It looked as if the barrier Seika was to make was up and at full power, ready to hold everything that could possibly be held, in.

'_Wonderful. Okay, now it's up to the rest of us.'_

Kenya, stood for a moment to listen for where the demon was, and upon finding his vibration traces, took off after him.

About mid-way through the forest he could feel Katai, and figured she was almost to her right position at the East of the central point where Haku was waiting. The man he was chasing kept running the right way, and it seemed as if this mission was to go as planned.

Suddenly though, the man stopped, and began running to the West, completely diverting away from where he was being forced.

'_Dammit! Looks like this will be a little more difficult than I thought. Alright…' _Kenya stopped and closed his eyes, searching for an energy signal that would link to Seika.

Upon finding it, he opened his eyes.

"_Hey! Seika! You readin' me?"_

"_Sure am Kenya. What's the problem?" _

"_The suspect is attempting an escape. Although he can't break through your barrier, there's always the chance that there might be and exit for him some where on the outskirts!"_

"_You want me to shrink it?"_

"_Yes."_

"_Alright. One much smaller barrier coming up!"_

Another pang of vibrations erupted through the forest, causing leaves to fall around Kenya.

He smiled.

"_Okay. Thanks Seika!"_

"_Don't mention it. After all, I'm bored as hell on this cliff top!"_

"_Don't you know the rest of the plan?"_

"_What do you mean by the rest?"_

"_Ah…sounds like Haku decided to hold out on the best part for you!"_

"_Oh no! Not again! I swear! Does he just do that for the kicks or something?" _

"_Don't know."_

"_What's the end of the mission?"_

"_Haku traps the guy and you get to have the fun of beating the hell out of him."_

"_Oh boy! He never told me that! I'm gonna have to hit him hard the next time I see him!"_

"_I'll have to talk with you later Seika. The suspect is now coming back to his original position. I have to keep him running. Over and out!"_

"_Over and out!" _

Kenya sighed. Seika was the only one he could talk to through telepathy. Neither Haku nor Katai had the ability, and if they did, he didn't know about it.

He started running again, his red eyes looking over the trees as he kept in tune with the vibrations of the running.

He followed them, until the guy ran into the clearing where Haku was hiding, in which he felt that Katai had started chasing him as well.

Suddenly, another vibration erupted through the forest, and the barrier fell.

Kenya knew then, that they had him.

A few moments later, after running as fast as he could, brought him to the man they had been chasing. There was nothing of importance of the demon whatsoever, except that he was clutching a letter in his hands so tightly they were certain it would snip in half cleanly like a pair of scissors had gone through it.

The man was wrapped in a twining of vines with thorns that dug into his skin, and Haku stood behind him, his hand on a root that had risen out of the ground so he could control the tightness of the constriction he had produced as if it were a remote control. Katai stood off to the side, rubbing sweat from her eyes with Niko on her shoulder, looking around expectantly.

Seika jumped in at the last second, walking up to the guy.

"So this is the one that gave us all that trouble eh?" He inquired, glaring at the man's face. "You don't look like much."

The man spat in Seika's face and fought with the vines he was in, not caring one bit about the wounds it was causing.

"I will not talk with you you bastard!" The man snarled, razor sharp teeth showing through his lips.

"Hah! That the best you can come up with! You're worse than Haku when it comes to cussing!" Katai hollered with a chuckle.

"I heard that." Haku growled.

"Enough."

Everyone turned to see Kenya walking into the clearing, and quieted down.

Even the man stopped struggling, and stared, as if he knew his life depended on his actions.

Kenya took the opportunity of silence, to come up to the man and stare at him, face to face.

"Where were you headed?" He inquired, not even taking the time to ask for the man's name.

"None of you business!" He spat back, some of it landing on Kenya's face.

"Hey! You give some respect to him you little bastard!" Katai snarled, fist raised in preparation for a strike.

"Katai. That is enough." Kenya told her calmly. When she quieted down, he returned to the man. "So your main base is none of our business. You do realize who we are right?"

"Yeah! You're nothing but scum!"

"I'm sure we are, but we are not heartless beings. Tell us where you were heading, who sent you, and the information of that letter, and you will go free and we will forget about you. How about that?"

"I don't listen to spiky haired freaks!" he snarled.

"Kenya is not a spiky haired freak!" Seika snapped, but Kenya turned and glared at him to be quiet. Niko jumped from Katai's shoulder to land on Seika's with a chirp.

"I see. You are like the ordinary messenger. Haku."

Haku nodded and tightened the vines, the man giving a yelp of pain.

"Now don't get me wrong. I hate to see torture. But if you are a messenger for a being that will destroy the peace we have strived for four years to keep, then I will watch you suffer myself. Just tell us who sent you if you can, and we'll let you go."

"Never!" The man snarled, and before Kenya received the chance ask again, an arrow whizzed through and got him in the head, killing him instantly, but miraculously without blood.

"He's a decoy copy." Haku announced, as Kenya turned to find who had shot the arrow. A dark figure began to run away.

"Katai, Seika, track him down and capture him. He may have the answers we need." "Right!" They chorused, leaping away through the trees. The vines let go of the suspect, and Kenya reached down, patting his pockets in search for any sort of identification. He found none. Finally, reached over and picked the letter out of the man's hands, and opened it.

He read it, but found only one line of writing on the paper.

"This is a decoy. The real messenger will not be caught so easily. –The Dark Lord."

"It looks as if there is another following in Lord Rioko's and Shadow's footsteps." Haku murmured after reading the note.

"It seems all demons put that down as their new year's resolutions. Must take over world and everything in it." Kenya replied, just as Katai and Seika returned. "Well?"

"We couldn't find him. He managed to disappear before we could get a good tracking of him." Katai reported, and Seika huffed heavily from having run so fast.

"I see. Hm." Kenya closed his eyes and felt out the vibrations. There were none that would show where the man was. "He must be a flyer. That's why we can't locate him. Either that, or he can teleport."

"What do we do now?" Seika inquired, finally standing up straight as Niko tried to cool him off with use of his swishing tails.

"We head home. There's nothing left here to do."

"What did the note say?" Katai asked.

"Nothing much. Merely that this was a decoy and the real messenger is gone."

"Then why don't we go after him?"

"Because we have no idea of the route he has taken or even what to look for. We might as well head home and wait for further news." Haku answered simply.

"Right…." Katai mumbled.

"Oh yeah! Hey Haku! Why didn't you tell me the rest of the mission?" Seika inquired loudly.

"The rest of the mission? What do you mean?"

"The part where I beat the guy's ass in!"

"Oh that…I thought I had."

"Yeah right…You did it on purpose didn't you!"

"Did not."

"Did too!"

Kenya ignored them and turned to Katai, requesting a teleportation to Spirit World so they could report their findings.

She smiled and opened up the portal, and they entered.

At Spirit World, they're boss Koenma listened to their report with earnest. When they had finished, he announced that they should go home and get some sleep, and that Spirit World would inform them if anything happened. They returned almost happily.

Considering that their mission had started early in the day on a week day, they had skipped under the excuse that on some days, they had to go and teach at other schools and places like that as a group. The school understood, but made it a request that they couldn't leave unless their grades were in good condition, therefore Katai, Seika, and Kenya made sure to work extremely hard in school to ensure that they kept their grades higher. In fact, Seika had actually jumped a grade he had worked so hard, which was unusual for anyone other than Haku, so now he had tougher projects and work than everyone else.

Kenya and Katai remained in the same grade, and usually worked together on projects they had the same class for. They even studied together! Haku came by every once in a while with lunches, still claiming that his mother had cooked them, although by now they knew that was false. Haku's mother could no more cook than she could sew. Her usual hobby was writing novels and teaching at Harvard. Then again, many geniuses have trouble with common things. Take Haku for example. He has trouble the normal wrist watch unless it's digital, and yet he can give you a hundred line version of Pascal's Triangle on a board without even blinking.

In any case, because they were not in school, they decided to pick up their tiny siblings a little early.

When they got to the school, it was only a few minutes before the bell was to ring, so they waited.

When it did, it only took a moment to spot the three they were waiting for.

Satou Nohara, Tsuki Kuwabara, and the newest addition to the family, Yujiro Urameshi, came out of the school with large smiles on their faces as they talked. When the three noticed their older siblings, they came running in an instant.

"Kenya!" Satou exclaimed, running to him with a big smile on her face, to present him with a new picture she had taken with her new camera. Suta, their mother, had just given it to Satou because her birthday was a few days ago, and she had since been taking pictures like crazy with it.

"Seika!" Tsuki shouted, handing him a picture she drew in art class of a butterfly on a flower.

"This is beautiful." He announced. "I think I'll put it up in my room when we get home."

"Yujiro! Get you're little hiney over here!" Katai shouted, and, grumbling, Yujiro obeyed.

He was only four now, this being his first year in school, and still, even though school had tried to change him, he still didn't have a manner in his body. He loved to disobey anyone if he could, just to see their reactions.

Fortunately, there were two people he wouldn't do that with: Katai, and Keiko.

"Did you make anything in school today?" She inquired nicely.

"No." He replied, walking past her. "Let's go home now."

"Did you do anything today?"

"Nope."

"Kick any ass?"

"Nope. There was none to kick."  
"Tell off a teacher?"

"Nope. There was nothing to be told off on."

"I see. Okay. Sounds like you had a boring day."

"Yep."

Yujiro was very different from his family. Where Yusuke and Katai were loud and loved to cuss and fight, he was more quiet, less likely to through an angry remark or punch anyone unless he was truly ticked off.

His hair was loose around his forehead, similar to when Yusuke didn't gel his, and his dark brown eyes revealed a sort of wisdom that a child of that age usually wouldn't have. He only got into arguments with Katai, never Yusuke, and usually, it ended with him winning. He was smart…not as much as Haku, but smart none the less.

"How did the mission go today?" Yujiro inquired as they began to walk home.

Yujiro only had one idle, and it was the same for all the others. He idled Kenya for his strength and ability to think before reacting. He thought that Kenya was one of the greatest people around.

"Not as well as we would have hoped. The man we chased was not the one we were looking for." Kenya answered.

"Oh."

They walked the rest of the way home with Satou and Tsuki the only ones really talking, telling about how their day went and how they were couldn't wait to get home to train. After all, they were trying to become detectives like the other kids, so they worked hard to get to the level they were at. In fact, they had been promised by Spirit World that the next easy mission that came around, they could accompany on, and the Spirit Detectives had agreed.

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Catse: So, what did you think? Like it so far? This is only the first chapter, and I'm sorry it's late, but considering it's close to Easter, we've got all sorts of people coming into the house, so I wasn't really able to get around to uploading it and everything until now. Okay then, thanks for reading, and if you have any questions, just tell me! Ja Ne for now! 


	2. Some Background

Catse: Here you go everybody! Sorry it is late. I tried to upload on Friday, but as many know they were having trouble with the site. Plus, yesterday, I was busy with cleaning and dinner, and I didn't get much of a chance to get on the computer. So, without further adeiu (sp?) I present you with Chapter two of Dance of Swords 3: Search for Revival. R&R!

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Disclaimer: See chappie one for this...hehehehehe

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"Hey Mom! Hey Dad!" Kenya remarked as he and Satou walked into the Dojo. 

"Oh, Kenya! Could you come here a moment." Suta called from one of the rooms in the Dojo, and Kenya complied. Inside were a room of students he had never seen before.

"These are all new students Kenya. I was telling them about how good you are with your Flaming Swords and they wanted to see you dance with them." She explained.

Kenya thought about it a moment, staring at the classroom as Satou walked past in the hall behind him. They all looked very expectant.

"Sure. I guess one showing couldn't hurt. I don't have that much homework tonight." Kenya replied, and the classroom seemed overjoyed to the extent of whispering madly to each other.

He stepped out of the room and went to the sword display his mother kept on the wall near the door of the Dojo. His swords hung on a rack that welcomed all customers as soon as they walked in, the kanji the first thing they noticed on both swords when they saw them.

Protector of the Protector, and Tool Master: Protector of the Innocent. His best swords.

He pulled them from the wall, his strength immediately adjusting to the weight of them, and returned to the classroom. Now, Satou was sitting with the other students too. She loved to watch her brother perform his skills, and wouldn't miss a chance in the world to see them.

Kenya nodded to his mother, whom started up a level 12 song with a fast beat and an even faster melody. Kenya concentrated for a moment, before beginning the dance with a stance he had learned from his mother a while back, where the swords were crossed before the person's body and one foot was balanced before the other. Then, as the song picked up the speed, he began to move the swords with it. He spun the swords on his fingers, and when the main beat of the song hit, he squeezed the swords and their flames sprung to life. All of the children awed with excitement, Satou most of all for she loved the swords flames. Kenya continued to dance, and when the song was almost finished, he released his grip on the blades so that the flames died down a little, and then, just as the last beat erupted from the radio, he allowed the swords to burst into flames one last time, and then fade away slowly on their own.

Everyone in the room clapped, including Kenya's mother, his father, and Satou who had by now stood up for an encore.

Kenya bowed his head and left the room to return his swords to the rack.

His father walked in beside him, a towel resting on his shoulders.

"You're still right on your toes." He remarked. Hiei stepped behind the welcoming desk in the room and pulled two bottles of water from the small fridge kept under the table.

He tossed one to Kenya, before opening the other and taking a long sip out of it.

"Father. May I ask you something?"

Hiei took the bottle from his lips and nodded, recapping it.

"Have you ever heard of a Dark Lord?"

They were silent for a moment as Hiei thought, but in the end, he shook his head.

"No. I've never heard of such a being. Why? Was he brought up in your mission?"

"Yeah. Apparently the messenger we were after was working for him, whoever he is."

"Have you already tried to scan him through on your watch?"

Kenya nodded. The watch in question was the one Koenma had given him and his friends from the very beginning, with the little Spirit World archive search and worldly maps. He had forgotten about it through most of his first mission, and only remembered it when he walked into the room and found it on his table. Apparently, he had accidentally left it in his pants, and his mother had only just barely found it before they hit the wash. From that day on he wore it, finding it to come in handy in times of need. Not only that, but no one went on a mission unless they had a watch, because not only did they have information, if one of them went missing, another could locate them by means of the watch. Kenya wanted to make sure that there was every possibility of finding his team if they got separated. It was a leader's duty.

"Yeah, but the Spirit World Archives don't have anything on him in the nicknames file. He must not have a history."

"A fresh demon then? Hm." Hiei mumbled to himself, glaring at the floor. He was now a good forty years old, in which age lines had only just barely began to show on his forehead, and a few very fine laugh lines had come around his lips and eyes. In basic, Hiei still looked like his younger self, and acted much that way too.

"Sounds to me like this might be an easy case. Fresh demons don't come everyday."

Hiei began to walk away, but Kenya stopped him with his next remark.

"But what if he isn't a demon? That would explain why he isn't in the archives, wouldn't it?"

"Not a demon. Hn. I doubt that. Humans don't have the kind of ability to be a ruler of demon world, and Spirit World's people are well accounted for. Who else could it be?"

Kenya bowed his head, staring at the floor. He knew his father was right. The Logic was very reasonable. But there was something in him that told him that this was not like the usual case. This wasn't a half-crazy demon lord looking for world domination. No. This enemy was smarter than that. It knew how they thought, how they worked. It could keep track of them where many demons could not. Either this enemy was a demon, but that of a high intelligence and tranquility, or a human with a strong demeanor and an even smarter disposition.

In any case, Kenya was going to have to regard the matter seriously, for he had never seen this new foe, and just by seeing how the enemy dealt with them, told him that the enemy was taking them seriously as well. It wasn't like most demons who let their pride get ahead of them and attacked them head on, or tried to use children to their advantage. He sat back calmly, like playing a chess board, and played pieces for the purpose of them to get taken off the board, just so he could figure out the strategy of his opponent. He was one Kenya was going to have to pay close attention to.

"Don't worry about it too much. I believe you've got training?" Hiei broke Kenya from his thoughts. The teenager nodded, and after excusing himself from his mother and her students, left for home so he could finish his homework and his training.

Kenya wiped a drain of sweat from his forehead with a clean white cotton towel from his bathroom. Training had been rigorous as usual consisting of the same sword practice, hand to hand combat with a fake dummy, exercise to keep his muscles strong, and sensory training, in which he meditated and recorded in his mind every sound he felt from the vibrations he received, then checked on them. When he had finished his work, he felt the growing need for a Dr. Pepper or some sort of soda, so he stepped inside the back door to the kitchen.

Inside, he hadn't expected to see the two familiar suspects digging around in his fridge.

"What! No pickles! There's always pickles in here!" Katai hollered around a pastry Suta had baked just yesterday from a few left over ingredients and a new recipe.

"Pickles? All you can think about are pickles? Where are the—Oh, wait there they are!" Seika replied, standing back away from the fridge as he popped an olive in his mouth. The bottle was in his right hand.

Kenya felt an eye twitch. Those were his olives!

"I gather you were hungry?" Kenya inquired, stepping between them so as to snatch a soda from the inside of the fridge. Afterward, he sat at the kitchen table to listen to their excuses.

"Well yeah, we just got finished with training this afternoon, and Katai decided, hell, why not! Let's visit Kenya! Then when we got here, our stomachs were rumbling and we decided to see what you had in the fridge." Seika answered, popping another olive in his mouth.

Katai stepped away from the fridge, the half eaten pastry still hanging from her mouth, a soda in one hand, and a handful of cookies in the other.

"Hey Kenya! How's it hangin'?" She inquired as she quickly devoured her pastry.

"It was hangin' fine until I found too pack rats digging around in the family fridge." Kenya replied as he opened his can of soda and took a sip.

Both Seika and Katai smiled mischievously as Haku choose that time to step into the room.

Everyone's attention went from his face, to the bag of chips in his hand.

"So! Haku! You've been stealing food from Kenya's fridge too!" Seika inquired as Katai shoved a cookie in her mouth and watered it down with the soda.

Haku glared at them, and took a chip from the bag, making sure his crunch into it was loud.

"I don't steal food. I buy it." Haku answered with little emotion.

They were quiet for a moment, until their attentions turned to a pair of giggles that came running down the hallway.

Tsuki and Satou ran through the kitchen, toothy grins on their faces as they raced past the team. They didn't even stop when they snatched a couple of cookies off a plate on the kitchen counter, and ran up the stairs skipping every two steps.

"Guys! Not too much noise. Remember! The neighbors can hear you from up there!" Kenya shouted, and two heads popped down from the top of the stairs.

"Okay, no prob bro. We won't make a sound!" Satou answered, putting her fingers up in a peace sign as Tsuki giggled uncontrollably.

Everyone was silent once again as the girls disappeared and the vibration of a door closing caught to Kenya. It wasn't true that the neighbors could hear them. In fact, half of their neighbors were deaf. It was just that Kenya couldn't think when his delicate ears were picking up all of their commotion.

"As I was saying. I don't steal food, I buy it. They steal food." Haku commented, pointing at the stairs, before disappearing around the side with another crunch of a chip.

"Amazing. I didn't think the Prince of the family of Nutrition would have a bag of potato chips in his hand. He does realize how many calories that has right?" Katai inquired, shoveling down yet another cookie.

"Katai, guys don't really care about calories. Only girls trying to keep a figure or loose weight do." Kenya stated the obvious. "Besides, you do realize how many calories are in those sweets you just devoured right?"

"Yeah, but I can care less about my figure. As long as I can still kick ass, then why should I care about getting fat!" She announced walking away with a defiant guzzle of her soda.

"She's got a point." Seika murmured, throwing yet another olive in his mouth. Kenya took the bottle from him and placed it back in the fridge.

"Come on. I guess it's about time to discuss our new enemy." Were the only things he said as he walked in the same direction of Katai and Haku.

"Hey. It's not my fault I love olives." Seika murmured under his breath as he followed everyone else.

They spent most of that afternoon discussing how the mission had gone, and deciding on how they were going to find their enemy.

Haku suggested that maybe instead of actually catching the next messenger, they should plant a bug on him and follow him. Maybe then they would catch sight of the enemy they were after, and would be able to pin an actual name with a matching picture. It would take a while, but surely Spirit World had some sort of picture of him, somewhere.

"Yeah, but what if he finds the bug? We're screwed over then." Seika acknowledged, as he fed Niko next to the window.

"It would not fail. We would put it on him in a place he wouldn't be able to see or feel it." Haku tried to defend, but Kenya's raised hand quieted him.

"Seika's right. If we use a bug, we only have it to use once. Any mistakes and we get stuck in a corner without hope of escaping. Besides, if it's anything I've learned as a detective, it's not to ever underestimate the opponent. That's where the mistakes come."

"Then what do you suggest?" Katai inquired as she tossed her soda can into the trash can of Kenya's room.

The room was spacious, with a bed, a closet, a desk, and a few posters on the walls of animes and music bands that Kenya knew and liked. Seika sat at the window, Katai on the bed, Haku leaned against the wall, and Kenya sat in the seat before his desk.

"I suggest we use two bugs. The first we'll plant obviously. Something a professional will most likely find. The other we'll have to plant on him without his notice, although I'm not exactly sure how that will go. If he finds one, there is much doubt he'll find the other before he reaches his destination."

"Sounds good to me." Seika announced as Niko climbed unto the window sill, yawned, and curled into a ball. It was getting dark outside, and soon the stars would be out.

"Well, I've got to get going. Me and Tsuki need to be home early. Pop really starts to throw a fit when he worries." Seika announced, picking up and cradling a sleeping Niko as he stood. Seika had gotten into the habit of actually looking at Kuwabara as a father, even coming to the extent to call him father proudly. After all, by law, they were father and son.

"Same here. I've got to go home and help with Yujiro's training. The little kids a brat, but he's got a mean punch and a major desire to be a detective." Katai announced, as Seika walked out of the room with a salute to Kenya. She did the same as a joke, and left, marching as if she were a soldier.

"And you Haku. I gather you have to be in bed early?" Kenya inquired.

Haku nodded. "Yes. I must be well slept before a day of class otherwise my students are able to pick out mistakes in my formulas and herbology notes. I will meet you at lunch tomorrow and we'll finish our discussion then. Hopefully Koenma does not wait too long in giving us our next mission."

"I agree. Okay, see yah."

Haku left the room and Kenya leaned back in his chair, thinking.

Haku was only twelve years old, yet he had already been a professor at Harvard for about a year or two now, becoming well known for his excellent theories and wonderful explanations of everything. Harvard was far from Japan of course, in which Kurama and Jennifer had bought a permanent home there so Haku could stay with his friends, but as of recent Haku had learned to teleport form Katai, so now he could be there at Harvard in a matter of five seconds each morning.

In fact, Kenya had been there for Haku's first day, considering it was a Saturday and Haku had asked him to come.

Kenya sat in the class, Seika and Katai off training somewhere considering they didn't know about Haku's first day, and when Haku walked into the classroom, many of the students snickered.

"Hey kid! I think you're in the wrong spot! Elementary school is a couple roads down from here!" One hollered, and the class laughed.

Haku merely walked in, winking to Kenya as he slammed his books on the table, and proceeded to the white marker board.

He picked up a marker, and wrote in clean, nice handwriting, **_Mr. Haku Minamino._**

"This is my name everyone. If you have trouble reading my last name, I'll pronounce it for you. It is not Minny. It is not Midget. I will have no one mistake me for a character in the Spirited Away or Naruto animations. It is Minamino. Say it with me. M-i-n-a-m-i-n-o. Now that that is settled, let me introduce myself. I am, as of this day and from this day, you're Calculus and Biology Professor so I would get used to seeing me around if I were you."

"See you around. I can't see you anywhere but down there Prof." One guys snarled, laughing.

Haku gave him a look that Kenya realized as his mean look, and asked the man to stand before the class.

After a bit of grumbling, and a little shake of his head, he stood before the class and rolled his eyes.

There, Haku proceeded to ask questions.

"What is your name?" He inquired.

"Midget—I mean Brooks sir." He fixed quickly.

Haku glared up at him, but after a moment, smiled. It was then Kenya knew this Brooks guy was in a heap load of trouble.

"I will have you know, Brooks, that I am a ten year old body with an ageless mind trying to talk to a twenty year old body with a five year old brain. If you do not like the fact that I am professor of the class, then you can proceed to do one of several things. One: You can take this to the Headmaster here and complain, and he will tell you himself, that my knowledge is not something to take likely or two: you can walk straight out of here and never return. If you refuse to do either then I suggest you sit your butt down and pay attention, because I don't like to repeat myself."

"What, you too afraid to say ass kid?" Brooks teased, smiling broadly. The class smiled.

Kenya shook his head. They were underestimating him greatly.

"Alright then. What is the square root of 2,349?" Haku inquired.

"Give me a moment—"

"No. Now. Straight from your head."

"Hell. Why should I? You don't know it."

"Wrong. The answer is 48.46648326. What is 2,324,033 to the second power?"

"Geez. I can't believe you! What are you trying to prove?"

"Wrong. It's 540112938500 or if you want it a little more simple 5.401 by ten to the twelfth power."

"This is ridiculous! You memorized those before coming here so you could get at us right? I don't believe you are a genius!"

"Fine then. Ask me any question. Any question at all and I will answer it."

"Okay. What is 5 squared equals 10 squared plus 4 squared minus 2 times 10 times 4 by the cosine of 34 degrees?" Brooks inquired, knowing he probably couldn't answer him.

Haku smiled. "That is an unanswerable question."

"See! Even a genius such as yourself isn't that smart—" Brooks began, but Haku's smile never left.

"I did not say I could not answer it. I told you that it was impossible to answer. For one, that equations requires something for answering. There is no x value in it whatsoever to be solved, so the equation resolves itself to 0 and cancels it self. Secondly, if there were to be an answer to be found, such as the angle in terms of theta (sp?) then the equation completely destroys itself for it creates an impossible triangle. After all, the equation you gave me is used mostly for finding the missing sides or angles of a triangle either ninety degree or not. You, Brooks, created an impossible equation from the top of your head."

Brooks stared at Haku a moment, as if there was something wrong with this picture. Another student in the classroom, one with a calculator, confirmed Haku's answer.

"He's right Brooks. That equation can't be solved out. It's an imaginary triangle."

Brooks still couldn't believe what he had been told. He gave Haku several more questions, in which left him just as dumbfounded as the last.

"What is the square root of 36 to the second power!" Brooks inquired, and the class shook their heads. Most of them knew by now how to solve those questions with ease, yet Brooks insisted to give Haku easy ones because he himself was really there for that class because his father paid for him to go.

"Thirty six you jackass." Haku answered. "Now get your ass in that chair so we don't burn anymore daylight. Now, considering your buddy Brooks here has kept me here for an hour answering meaningless questions, you all get to stay here for an hour longer if you want to learn what I have to say. Now, let's begin."

"You can't do that! We have lives you know!" One student piped up from the seat. Haku turned around, the marker open in his hand.

"Your life is none of my concern. Be seated or leave."

The student frowned and sat back down, and the rest of the period had the students quiet to the point of a pin drop being the loudest sound in the room, as Haku reviewed on the items for discussion on the board. When it was finished, half of the students left in a huff, the other half surprised at the young boy's abilities. After class, Haku came to Kenya and asked him if he thought he had been too harsh on the students.

"Nope." Kenya had answered, smiling. "I you ask me, they deserve every bit of that for underestimating you. They should have just been quiet and listened. Afterall, what twelve year old gets the gall to stand in a class of a good fifty students and begin teaching unless they are the professor. You'd have to be smart right from the off to be able to get rid of the actual professor and whatever substitute might be coming, just so as to fool the class. I say, keep up the good work."

They left the class smiling, and since that day, no one questioned anything Haku had to say. In fact, some of the professors, those that majored better in the other fields, would come to him with some of the major mathematical problems, the ones that needed a mathematical genius to help them. Considering both math and plants were Haku's strong points, he was the main talk of the teachers. Of course, the class wasn't the last to be heard of Brooks.

Kenya had already heard how Brooks gathered together some of his buddies so as to pounce and attack Haku one night when he wasn't aware, but what they didn't realize was that Haku was always on the alert, and had been since he first became a detective. The men that attacked him ended up in a hospital for weeks with broken arms, nerves, and heavy blushes at having been beaten by a ten year old at the time.

Plus, they kept screaming crazy things about boys turning into golden foxes and attacking them. Of course, many people in the hospital paid little mind to it, considering it wasn't everyday they heard about ten year olds running around in the streets with golden fox ears and tails.

Before the night was over, Kenya's friends had left for home, and it was time for him to retire to his homework, and then to bed.

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Catse: Okay, well, tell me what you thought! I think my favorite part here is Haku's first day as Professor. Now, I'm not sure Harvard allows ten year olds to be professor but in this story they do. Please Review! 


	3. Death of a Friend, and the Return of an ...

Catse: Okay everyone! Here's my update. I will warn though, this is depressing. Oh well, the next will be a little better. A little more cheerful. Well, gotta go. Hope you like the story! Ja Ne for the moment.

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Disclaimer: See chappie one...

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School the next day was dull. The Detective Team caught up on everything they missed the day before in that morning, and for the rest of the day there wasn't much left. In Calculus Kenya had nothing to do (he had finished up everything that was to be done) so he spent his time on his watch, trying to locate anything that would show for the title of the Dark Lord. Unfortunately, he had been searching for forty minutes so far, and had yet to locate anything helpful. 

At Lunch Haku came with food, and they sat below a tree they had made their hangout for the last three or so years. There, they talked.

"Any word from Spirit World Kenya?" Seika asked. If there was a mission, Kenya was usually the first notified, and he notified everyone else.

"None. Koenma has yet to find anything interesting on our new case." Kenya said.

"Darn. I was looking forward to a fight." Katai said, taking a bite from the teriyaki chicken in her dish.

"We still haven't developed the bugs for that." Haku acknowledged, biting into some of his own food. They had informed Spirit World that morning that they needed the bugs, and Spirit World said they would do the best they could to develop the bugs quickly. Haku gave them a list of what they needed, and a few of his own ideas to the creation of it, which was why he knew the bugs weren't finished yet.

They ate in silence for a while, enjoying the breeze and the sounds of the birds in the trees and the smells of spring.

Then, as they were cleaning up what was left of their meal, Kenya's watch began to beep loudly. Everyone gathered around him as he read the message that came up on the screen.

"Is it a mission?" Seika asked.

Kenya nodded.

"Do they have the bugs?" Came Haku.

Again Kenya nodded.

"When do we head off?" Inquired Katai. Kenya stopped the beeping of his watch.

"Now." He remarked, racing towards the Main Office of the school. A quick talk with the secretary excused them from class, and they ran from the school to an abandoned alley. There, Katai opened a portal and they entered it, appearing in Spirit World.

In an instant after they arrived, Botan came out to explain what was happening.

"We've been monitoring Demon World and it seems the Dark Lord has dispatched another messenger." She explained as they walked towards Koenma's office.

"Where is he located?" Kenya inquired.

"Mukaki forest."

"Any others located."

"No."

"Are the bugs prepared?"

"Yes. One of the ogres here finished it about an hour ago."

"What is the level of difficulty of this mission?"

"Two."

"Two? That's not very difficult. If it were a four or a five it would be more of a challenge, don't you think?" Katai acknowledged.

"Um yeah, but it's just a messenger. It's not a terrorist or something like that!" Seika remarked.

After a moment of Katai and Seika bickering, and Haku looking on in amusement, they made it to Koenma's office. At first, they couldn't see him for all the paper that stood in stacks on his desk.

But a moment after he jumped around the desk to stand before them in baby-mode.

"This is dire everyone! If we don't catch that messenger then there may be a chance that a plan for human annihilation may occur under our noses! You have to go and stop that messenger!" He remarked, stating the obvious.

"Don't you think we know that already?" Katai snarled, her fists gripped in preparation for a fight.

"We ain't stupid." Followed Seika.

"If the world "ain't" is a part of your vocabulary, then you very well should be." Haku acknowledged, receiving a giggle from Katai and Botan.

Koenma moved the remarks aside and handed Haku a small box.

"There are the bugs requested. Get going or you won't catch him!"

Kenya and his team nodded and bowed, leaving in an instant teleportation Katai provided.

When they reached Demon World, Seika growled.

"What?" Katai inquired as Kenya took a look at the situation around them. They had landed in the middle of a dark forest near a lake.

"I left Niko at home." Seika grumbled.

Haku opened the box to look over the bugs. They were small, black, and with so much shine to them they were almost white.

"Oh yeah. Want me to pick him up?" Katai inquired.

"No. We don't have time." Kenya remarked. "In hunting a messenger, every second counts. Haku, have you a plan yet?"

Haku nodded and the four gathered together.

"This forest is dense and dark. Perfect conditions to plant a bug. I'm just not sure how we're going to set them. One must be planted visibly, but only after the other has been planted in secret. The note in the box says our watches are programmed to follow the radio waves these bugs emit. Seika and Katai will set the messenger first in a trap. The way I see it, we'll have a vine set upon the forest floor, and when stepped on, a sort of set up about a foot passed will toss the bug and lodge it on the body. Now, Seika, Katai, he needs to go at a certain speed so that the bug will hit. Too slow or too fast and the bug will fall passed him to the floor. The second Kenya will place. You'll run up to him on the side while Seika and Katai chase him, and punch at him, throwing the bug while doing so."

"What happens if the first bug doesn't land?" Katai inquired.

"Well, we'll at least have one bug on him, and if he's inexperienced it's all the better. Kenya?"

Kenya turned to Haku and smiled.

"I'm going to investigate the terrain. Send me a signal when you begin."

They nodded and Kenya left into the forest, jumping from mossy logs to demon infested grass, and across the high branches of trees when the ground looked suspicious and unstable. While running however, he made a strange discovery. He was being followed! It looked as if the messenger was attempting to chase him off and take the interference of his travels head on. Kenya clicked on a few areas of his watch, and a mike appeared on the wrist band.

"Kenya calling in! Kenya calling in! Over!" He whispered into the mike.

"Kenya! This is Seika calling in! What's the problem? Over!"

"The messenger is in pursuit! I repeat. The messenger is pursuit! Mission will commence immediately! Over!"

"What the hell!" Katai shouted, and Kenya had to hold his ears while running. "What do you mean he's in pursuit? We're not even finished setting up the bug and you've already encountered the messenger!"

"You forgot to say over." Seika corrected after a short pause.

"Oh shut up." Came katai.

"The messenger is following me. Commence mission immediately. Over."

"Will do Kenya! Over and out!" Seika replied, and the mike disappeared on the wrist band.

Kenya kept running just as his team dispatched to the dense forest. In an instant, with a quick scan of Haku's plants in the area, in which they gave him messages when he needed them about the terrain, they found the messenger. In the past, they used Niko because talking to plants required energy Haku might need later, and considering Niko didn't fight, he was the proper choice. The group followed the messenger, but little did they realize that he was a decoy. They would find out soon enough.

Kenya kept running. The vibrations that echoed around him told him his opponent was gaining on him, and no matter how fast he could run, it seemed his pursuer was faster. Finally, when the pursuer was a good ten yards away, Kenya had to stop. He couldn't keep running and the enemy didn't seem ready to let him go. Not only that, but Kenya's team didn't seem to be coming either. They should have already been there to help him chase the man into the trap.

"Come out! Fight me!" Kenya hollered. In an instant, a man appeared.

"Strange. You're the leader and yet you ran from me. Cowardly. Stupid. I will kill you."

"Can any of you tell who that is up front?" Seika inquired as he, Katai, and Haku chased the messenger. Because Haku's trap was already set, he decided he would come with them to ensure that if they failed he could still direct the messenger where he needed to go. "Nope! Not at all! Goddamned messenger!" Katai hollered.

"I know who it is." Haku mumbled, riding a giant flying leaf.

"Then who is it?" Katai snarled back.

"Someone we thought was gone a long time ago."

Kenya glared down his opponent. The man was tall, with an axe the size of his body hanging on a chain from his back. His long leather cloak covered a chain belt, felt black jeans, and a black shirt with a bleeding skull on the front.

"Kenya, you're such a coward."  
Kenya's eyes narrowed. "Funny. You know my name, yet I don't know yours."

"Well, everyone knows the infamous leader of the Sprit Detective Team." The man said with a smile. "But since you are going to die soon, I guess I'll tell you my name. They call me the Dark Invader."

"Really." Kenya frowned. "I gather the Dark Lord sent you?"

"Smart boy."  
"What is your purpose? You are no messenger."

The Dark Invader smiled. "Haven't I already mentioned that? I'm here to throw the Spirit Detective team into chaos. Oh, and don't expect help from your friends. The messenger is with them."

Kenya growled. It seemed he alone was going to have to kill the Dark Invader.

"Then let's get started, shall we?"

"Certainly."

The Dark Invader reached behind his head and tightly clenched the handle of the axe, and pulled it off. Kenya set his hands on the handle's on his swords at his sides. In a quick instant, the Dark Invader had taken a swing the area of a car, and created a gash in the forest the size of a fallen Karris Wheel.

Kenya leapt from tree to tree as they fell, keeping high from the ground and keeping an eye on the Dark Invader so he could find a weak spot. The Dark Invader didn't look around nor did he seem shocked. If anything, it looked more like he was waiting for something. Kenya came behind him and snapped off the tree, unsheathing his swords as he came in for an attack. Just as the first swords touched near the Dark Invader's body, he spun and stopped the attack with the axe. Kenya back flipped and sliced the handle of the axe in half, rendering the powerful weapon useless. He may not have been able to attack the man himself, but at least he got rid of his weapon.

The Dark Invader snarled, and pounced over his axe to attack Kenya.

Kenya rolled out of the way and just managed to block with his swords a blade shooting out of the Dark Invader's Jacket sleeve.

"I'm always prepared." The Dark Invader acknowledged with a smirk.

"I can see that. So am I."

Kenya kicked upwards, reaching for the Dark Invader's head. Just then, another blade came from the other sleeve, and he shot for Kenya's stomach. Kenya jumped up and flipped over the Dark Invader. Just as he flipped, he happened to notice a dark mass pass by, and three people follow. The people he recognized as his team, by the sound of their footsteps.

"Not as prepared as I." the Dark Invader snarled, and just as Kenya landed, the man turned and jammed a dagger in the middle of his chest, between the meeting of the ribs. Kenya stopped, glancing at his chest.

How? How had he got him? He was doing so well!

"I've got fast reflexes. Besides. You're still an amateur."

"How DARE you!" A familiar voice echoed from behind.

Kenya's eyes widened in shock. No! It couldn't be! She…She was dead!

Suddenly, the dark mass his team was following leapt on the scene and pinned the Dark Invader to a tree. The man struggled, but a pair of daggers pinned his shoulders. The handles were decorated as snake's heads.

"Kenya!" Katai shouted, jumping through the brush. In an instant she was at his side. "What happened?"

"Kenya!" Seika caught him as he collapsed backwards. Katai pulled the dagger out and tossed it to the side. "Kenya! You with me man? Kenya!"

Kenya glanced off in the distance. Suddenly, he couldn't concentrate on one known thing. It seemed the world was spinning, and his eyes were caught looking at a black crow, and nothing else. The crow cocked its head at him and then flew off.

"You Bastard!" The Dark figure screamed, and she punched the Dark Invader in the chest hard enough to crack it. A blood curdling snap rang around the forest catching everyone's attention. They watched as the woman took a sword from her hip with the same snake design, and lodged it in the man's chest.

"I was supposed to kill him! Not you! This wasn't our agreement!" She snarled.

Before dying, the Dark Invader snickered.

"The order was that I was to kill him. You were just the messenger." He coughed up blood and she kicked him in the chest. Blood sprayed from his mouth and he died.

"Bastard." She whispered.

"Who are you?" Katai inquired, glaring, tears in her eyes.

There was silence for a moment as the woman refused to talk.

"Answer me!"

"So. You don't remember me eh?" she asked.

Katai shook her head and Seika patted Kenya's cheeks.

"Guys! We've got trouble! He ain't concentrating on anything!"

"What do you mean?" Katai shouted, latching onto Kenya's shoulders.

"He means Kenya is dying." Haku answered, walking into the area. His usually calm features were racked with worry, and yet regret.

"What do you mean! He can't die! This is Kenya we're talking about! He's taken worse and still lived!" Katai shouted, but the woman's next remark interrupted her.

"The dagger was poisoned. The Dark Lord didn't want to play around when it came to destroying his only threat."

"What the hell do you mean! Surely you can't mean the Dark Lord was referring to Kenya as his only threat! There's still us you know?"

"What is a team without a leader Katai?" Haku inquired, sitting down. His red hair hung in fine lines over his eyes, so that the blue was hard to detect from underneath. "Kenya was our source of teamwork. Without him, we are in chaos. You Katai, always have a habit of wanting to beat anything interesting on a mission. Seika has a habit of slowing down in a mission, and my strategies are useless when you two go off on your own. Kenya kept us all together."

"So, I gather you're the messenger we've been trying to catch?" Seika inquired.

The woman nodded.

"Then, you should know if there is a way to save Kenya! Do you?"

The woman shook her head from underneath the cloak that hid it. "That is the Dark Lord's most vile poison. It will kill a grown man in less than 2 minutes. I'm surprised Kenya is still alive."

"How do you know Kenya anyways? Huh!" Katai snarled, jumping up to attack the woman. She managed to pin her to another tree, and the cloak covering the woman's head fell. "What the…? Holy hell! No! NO! You were dead! You're supposed to be dead!"

Seika and Haku glanced over, and Seika's eyes bulged. Haku merely shook his head and began to look over Kenya's wounds, hoping he could find something. Anything that would save Kenya.

"Y-Y-Y—"

"Just say it. I'm tired of your damn stuttering."

"Yoru!" Seika and Katai shouted at the same time.

"Yes. Now get your hands off of me or I'll kill you here and now. My battle isn't with you, it's with my stupid brother. But if you stand in my way, I will kill you."

"But! But you're dead! Haku killed you himself!" Seika shouted.

Yoru smiled. "Perhaps it would seem that way. But I survived that little encounter thanks to my Jagan."

"Your Jagan?" Seika continued, and they noticed then the black headband on her forehead. Yoru's black hair was snipped short, not even long enough to pin in a pony tail. She had a snake tattoo running across her collar bone, and her once complete red eyes now had flecks of yellow in them.

"The Jagan?" Katai whispered, stepping back. "But, that can't save you. Jagan's don't have healing properties!"

Yoru snickered again. "This isn't the normal Jagan. This is a Rioko Jagan. It was his very own creation. He took the usual Jagan and tested on it, and to gain the power I took the liberty of being the first he implanted it on. No one else in this world has my Jagan." She snickered.

Katai clenched her fists. This couldn't be happening. It seemed the past was repeating itself. Yoru was back, there was another enemy attacking. The only difference, is that this time, they were allowed to do as they wanted. They were the detectives.

"And I see you all have been busy while I was gone. Look at that. Detective badges and everything. How pre-school." She snickered, taking a step towards Katai. She wrapped a hand around the badge Katai kept pinned on her shoulder, and ripped it off.

"Stop it Yoru!" Seika shouted, and he almost stood. Haku stopped him.

"Yoru. This is uncalled for. As you stated yourself, we are none of your concern. Kenya is. Leave Katai alone."

"You are also my concern pretty boy." She snarled, stepping over towards Haku against Sieka's and Katai's growls. They had become rather protective of their team members over time. "You're the one that dealt the blows that ruined my life after all. But I guess I should thank you. If you hadn't of done that, I wouldn't have gained the true power of the Jagan."

"The true power?" Haku inquired, as Yoru placed a cold hand on his cheek.

"The power to kill with just my sight."

"Yoru….Touch him, and I will hurt you far worse than he ever did." They heard Kenya choke.

"Kenya!" Katai shouted, running to him. She placed a hand on his forehead to check for fever, and then his neck for pulse.

"I don't have long to live." Blood spat up from his mouth and drained down one lip. "This poison is powerful. Yoru, I don't think you want to die just yet. So take your hand away from Haku."

"And what are you going to do about it little brother? You can't even raise a finger you're so weak, and you're telling me you'll kill me? Hah!"

"Yoru. I'm not the little boy you pushed around four years ago. I've grown, and I've trained hard to learn what I could. And I learned something I knew I could use, just in case you came back. When I heard they didn't find your body, I knew you were still living. I went to Demon World for a while before the next mission we were to have, and found a demon that had seals powerful enough to seal away an S-class if it had to be done. From what I've seen," he coughed up more blood, and after wheezing a little, continued. "You're now an S-class. So he taught me this seal."

Kenya lifted a hand and touched his lip, where the blood was leaking. Then he reached up and pressed the finger to between Yoru's eyes.

"Ala kai ne po maru ekenue, shimaru akane itu!" A radiant blue light shot from his fingers and enveloped her head. Then, it all seemed to get sucked into her Jagan, and she snickered.  
"Was that it? Hah! There's another ability to my Jagan you didn't know. It will take your spirit and demon energy and re-power me when I need it. Thanks for the energy bro!"

"No." Kenya whispered. More blood came from his mouth as he closed his eyes. "I've got you."

It was then his breathing stopped. A single tear sprang from his eye and ran to his ear, and Seika wiped it away.

"He's dead." Haku mumbled, standing up. He sighed raggedly, and stepped away, trying not to cry in the presence of his friends. Katai burst into tears and snatched Kenya's shoulder away from Seika, shaking him violently as if it would wake him up.

"Kenya! You can't leave! Stop playing around! Kenya wake up!" She shouted, but it was no use. The spirit had left Kenya's body, for the after life.

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Catse: See. Yoru's back! But if you've noticed, she's a little different. And guess what? She gets to hang out with the team. You'll see through everything that the last four years have changed how she sees things, and she's somewhat nicer. Still mean, but nice in a way. I can't really explain it. Okay, now I've spoiled some areas, but oh well. Things are going to get crazy. Next chapter starts the stories mission! The mission to bring Kenya back to life! Ja Ne for now! 


	4. The Funeral

Catse: Here you go! I don't really have to much to say, but reviews would be nice! Got to go! Ja Ne!

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Disclaimer: See chappie one! Heheheheheheeh!

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The funeral came two days later. Everyone dressed in their finest black and attended, in which Kenya's body sat clean and well dressed in the casket. Suta and Satou cried themselves so much that they couldn't even hear anyone around them. Hiei was missing and no where to be seen. Katai came in in a sort of rage, the kind that no nice word would heal. She just wanted to kill something. 

Yoru was there too, dressed in black but only because that was her favorite color. She didn't seem all that sad. More like just angry that it hadn't been her that caused this meeting of death. Seika comforted Tsuki as his father and mother paid their respects to Kenya and his family, with Kurama, Jennifer, and Haku coming in later with flowers they had grown themselves.

Yujiro stayed with Yusuke and Keiko, not really sad, but not really happy either. He did his best to keep his emotions sealed, and over time, he had become quite good at it.

Botan came in a complete black kimono, her head bowed as she apologized for Koenma. He had a meeting with his father he couldn't miss, and would be there soon. Suki was also there, only she was in the same fit of depression and agitation as Katai, and both girls stayed away from each other for chance that they might start a riot and destroy the funeral.

No one knew where Hiei was, or why he didn't show up to his son's funeral. When he had found out, Hiei had of course flown into a rage. Because of that rage, half of the Dojo had been torn apart. Then, he ran off and disappeared, without calling or even sending a message to show that he was still alive.

Most of them were angered with him. What father left and didn't come to see his son? But Suta would smile and wave them off. She knew Hiei best after all, even though she had been the last to meet him of the group. She merely told them that Hiei wasn't good at showing his feelings, and that he'd need time to cool off and except the fact that his son was gone. That was all.

She was even so kind as to welcome Yoru back to the family, even though Yoru shunned her and told her that she was no longer a Nohara.

When Kuwabara and Yukina returned from the funeral, Kuwabara had tears he was trying to fight, and one of his arms was draped gently around Yukina's shoulders. Yukina cried nonstop into her handkerchief, and the tiny drops turned to crystal as they hit the ground. He reached down and picked one up, stuffing it in his pocket so as to show Kenya later, if he could find the spirit, what kind of an uproar had been caused by his death.

In some ways, he hoped Kenya's spirit was still drifting around, and Spirit World would revive him considering he was their greatest Detective. Without Kenya, they didn't have a defense.

Seika sighed, fighting back his own tears. He needed to be strong for his family. That was all there was to it.

"I don't see why you're all so goddamned sad. He was nothing but a nuisance anyways." Yoru snarled quietly, but she was loud enough so that the entire congregation heard her.

"Shut up! You don't know him at all!" Katai shouted, jumping up from where she had been sitting. Her teeth showed quite well through her lips.

"I don't do I? I think I know him well enough to know how well he deceived you all."

"A lot of bull you're talking, having been missing for four years." Suki joined in, her arms crossed. She was just as much into pounding Yoru into the ground as Katai, but a little more controlled from experience. "Kenya's become extremely strong in that time, and all because you weren't there."

"Yes, but even though he's had that much time, I still beat him in everything. He's nothing! I was the eldest! I gained the most power! Now, none of you can defeat me!"

Suddenly, there was a racket behind Yoru, and her eyes popped out in shock.

She didn't even get a chance to turn around when the arm swept out from behind her and wrapped around her neck tightly. There was a sword stuck at her back, and it threatened to pierce her through if she tried anything.

"The hell…?" She whispered, but that was all she could say.

"Don't you talk about your brother in such a way Yoru. Even you must agree that a death like that was far too early and unsuitable for him."

Everyone stopped. Everyone stared. Hiei was pinning back his own daughter.

"A lot of words out of you Pop. He's dead and you only just barely showed up." She snarled.

Hiei smiled, but said nothing else.

"He was talking to me." Came a voice off from the left. Koenma came walking in with all of the elegance he had always had, as his teenage form. He had a new pacifier in his mouth, considering his old one had been destroyed, and was followed by his usual ogre, George.

"Heh. About what?" Yoru replied back, receiving a group of glares her direction.

"Isn't it obvious? Kenya's spirit. He wanted to know if it had really passed to the afterlife."

"What? Pop was so angered by the fact his son left that he went looking for him! It's quite disgusting!" Yoru continued.

Katai growled at her. "Shut your mouth or I'll rip it out!"

"I'd like to see that weakling, if you've got the strength."

"Oh I'll show you!"

"Stop it! Both of you." Seika snapped. They quieted down almost instantly. There was a sort of tone in his voice that was enough to make a proud lion bow its head in fear.

Koenma cleared his throat and continued. "That's not what was meant. He was asking me why it seemed that Kenya's body was still somewhat alive, yet the spirit gone. His Jagan showed him that Kenya's body was still pumping blood through the veins, yet there is no heart beat or respiration of any sort. I checked into Spirit World, and found that Kenya had not at all checked in."

"Are you saying his body is wondering around here somewhere?" Kuwabara inquired, looking up from his attentions to Yukina.

"I'm not sure. There are three of you here that can see him as a spirit. That would be Tsuki, Kuwabara, and Seika considering he's been training his Spirit Awareness quite a bit. But from the way you're looking at me, neither of you have seen his spirit."

"Of course not! It's gone! Far gone!" Yoru roared with a laugh.

"What are you talking about?" Yusuke snapped, his glare very mean towards her. It was his you-better-get-right-to-the-damn-point glare that was enough to usually make the strongest of demons wonder about fighting him.

Yoru smiled. "You all think your so smart, you catch it yourself."

"Kenya's spirit can't wander. It's been captured."

All eyes turned to Haku as he presented the knife that Katai had pulled from Kenya's body when he was dying.

"What are you talking about?" Katai inquired loudly, looking rather angry.

"What the fox boy means is that the poison that was put in Kenya's body was a sort of charm that would kill the body to the extent that his spirit would pop right out. Then, a demon would swipe in and catch it." Yoru answered, cocking her head arrogantly.

Hiei had yet to let her go, and had even gone to the extent of placing a paralyzing barrier to hold her still, so her head was the only thing she could move. Of course, she knew how to break the barrier. She was just looking for a good time to do so.

"But I don't remember seeing a demon!" Katai objected.

"Me either." Haku added. "I didn't realize there was one in the area."  
"There was one." Seika added, standing up with Tsuki holding onto his pants.

"There was?" The others inquired. Seika nodded. "It was in the shape of a crow, and it's energy was very well hidden, but it flew in and caught Kenya's soul as it came out. I'm sure of it. I just didn't pay it much mind because I thought it was just a demon of the habitat."

"A black crow? Hm…That doesn't sound quite right." Haku mumbled to himself, but no one really heard him.

"So you're saying that we have to find his soul and then you'll return him to the body right? No problem! We can do that!" Katai hollered, happiness in her face once again. It seemed as if a weight had been lifted.

"Wrong."

Everyone stared at Koenma in surprise, waiting for the next comment. When Koenma spoke, he meant business.

"That was what the meeting with my father was about. He's not supposed to be dead, but we can't do anything about him coming to life."  
"Why not! You revived Yusuke and Seika! Why can't you revive Kenya!" Katai continued, but a few looks around her quieted her loud mouth. She just couldn't get over the way she felt now that Kenya was gone.

"To put things into perspective, Kenya was already supposed to be dead."  
"What!" Almost everyone acknowledged, and again things fell silent when they realized Koenma hadn't finished.

"You see, he wasn't supposed to live while fighting Lord Rioko. Rioko was supposed to kill him and then the rest of you were to go in and finish them off. That's why I came in with Yusuke and the others. But he managed to survive and has for the last four years. We believe that the sword his grandmother left for him had properties that were to stop his death. Many ice swords do. She could see the future after all, and could stop this if she needed to. Because Kenya didn't die when he was supposed to, Spirit World decided to lengthen his time until death, but because he died before then, when he should have been dead originally, we can't do anything for him."  
"What do you mean! Why can't you do anything for him? He's still dead before he needs to be! That should be enough of an initiative!" Katai hollered.

Haku quieted her with a look, and returned his eyes to Koenma. "Basically what you're saying is that because Kenya was already supposed to be dead, Spirit World can't do anything about lengthening his life. It's already gone."

Koenma nodded.

"Then what can we do?" Seika inquired, patting Tsuki on the head.

Koenma smiled. "That I've come up with too. I knew you all wouldn't sit down to this news. You are the ones that saved the world by disobeying our orders after all. So I did some research and came up with something I think can help you."

"Then what is it! Spill it!" Katai yelled, her tears dried away. "What can we do?"

"Simple." Koenma answered. "There is a certain legend that the world has seemed to forgotten about. It's a legend surrounding the Chinese Zodiac. You see, when the animals were appointed places in the Zodiac, it was not so you could tell a person from another. At least not in the beginning. The putting of the animals was a way to reveal a sacred magic, that when brought together could recreate life, or destroy it. To put it simply, this great magic, in the beginning, was a simple silver square with the writing of many different nations of symbols upon it's front, sides, and back. The words can't be read by anyone but certain people. It was a great piece, both artistic and powerful, but it became dangerous over time when many different people began using it for every sort of thing they could. It was then a curse was placed on the square, and it was broken into twelve pieces that spread across the world in separate continents. The pieces were inserted into pregnant women, and were born within the baby's body. When the baby grew up and had children of it's own, the sacred piece within them spiritualized and entered the child. Over time, the pieces sort of lost their firm shape, and took the shape of various different animals, which is where the zodiac got the animals from."

"Wait, so you're saying that there are twelve people in this world, each with a piece of this puzzle?" Suki inquired, interrupting Koenma.

Koenma nodded.

"And if we go out and find these people, and get these puzzle pieces, and put them together, then we can bring Kenya back to life!"

Koenma again nodded, this time to Katai. "Yes. That's right. But it won't be easy. After all, they are in several different continents, and there will be languages you won't understand."  
"That's where I come in." Haku volunteered. "Over the last four years I learned a few more languages, so now I can virtually thrive in almost any continent I go to."

"Alright, but what about culture? Do you know that?" Yusuke inquired, curiously.

"Of course." Haku answered in irritation. "You can't really learn the language in its entirety unless you can understand their culture and their life style. I've have done much research on this."

"Okay, what about travel? How will you all get around?" Kuwabara inquired in interest. This time, Jennifer answered.

"That I can handle. I've got quite a bit of money from writing my novels. I can pay for their plane tickets and their hotel accommodations easily."

"Hey wait! How can we find these spirits? I mean, how do we know who has them?" Seika inquired.

"That's where you come in." Koenma said, coming and placing his arm on Seika's shoulder. "You're very good at reading others spirit signals. I'm certain you'll be able to see the animals in their energy waves. After all, you should know."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Katai hollered, not liking that she didn't understand the situation.

Seika looked at her and smiled. "You've already got one of the Zodiacs. Me." He replied.

Then he turned to Koenma. "How do you get the puzzle piece out?"

"It's quite simple actually." Koenma answered. "You concentrate your spirit into its original form and pull it from your body as if you were going to do an attack. Then, once out of your body, it'll transform." He told him.

Seika nodded. "Alright. We'll see now if I really am one of them."

Everyone watched. There was nothing else to do really. And all wanted to see what a piece of the puzzle looked like.

Seika did just as he was instructed, collecting his energy together in a tight wad in his body, then, forcing it out of him in the shape of a dragon. When it came out, it twisted and seemed to roar, before finalizing into a silver square with a golden tube sticking out of one side. He caught it before it hit the ground, and looking it over. It had a few symbols on it that looked almost like Egyptian writing, only with a twist to it like Kanji would have.

"Wow! We haven't even left Japan yet and we've already got a piece!" Katai chided happily.

Hiei sighed and released his daughter.

"Yoru's going with you." He told them simply, as he resheathed his sword. Yoru was not at all happy about the change.

"What! I am not going with those brats anywhere! You can't make me!" She snarled, but Hiei wouldn't hear it.

"You didn't save Kenya's life before. So you're going to do it now."

"I will not you—"

Suddenly Yoru dropped to the ground, holding her head as if it would explode if she took her hands away from it. Her eyes were wide open, and her breathing became ragged.

"You will do as I ask Yoru. Is that clear?" He inquired.

"What…did…you…do…to…me…?" She asked between breaths. Hiei smirked.

"Your Jagan may be powerful, but it lacks one thing. Authenticity. Rioko had to take out some of its power in mind control so that it had healing properties. So you can heal yourself, but I can control your mind at will. And not only that, because your Jagan is weak, and mine has triumphed over it, your Jagan has accepted me as the master, not you. It won't listen to you unless I let it. It's how Jagan's work. When one Jagan meets another, like animals they chose who is the leader and who is the follower. Yours happens to be the follower. You will be going with the team, and you will help. If you cause any ruckus amongst the new team, I'll make your Jagan pop so bad your brain will explode. Is that clear Yoru?" Hiei snarled.

For the first time they had ever really seen, Yoru succumbed to what she could not fight.

"Yes Father." She replied, bowing her head. Hiei nodded and walked away towards the casket Kenya was lying in. Slowly, amazingly gentle for the dangerous koorime, he reached in and picked Kenya up. Kenya's body rolled from side to side, almost like a rag doll, and Hiei turned to address everyone else.

"I will place his body in his room. Koenma, tell them the rest of the tale. The restrictions they have. They'll have to leave immediately." And then he disappeared.

Koenma cleared his throat again and began talking when all attention had returned to him.

"You see, it's not so simple as collecting pieces and putting them together. There are the restrictions. One, these twelve pieces are not like the usual jig saw puzzle. They can change shape if the golden piece in the side is turned, so you have to watch and find out how they are ordered. They go in a certain order, and must be a certain size for the block to become whole. Secondly, you only have two weeks to complete everything."

"WHAT!" Katai and Seika hollered at the same time. Haku merely adjusted his glasses indifferently.

"What do you mean we only have two weeks! What happens if we fail!" Katai began, glaring at Koenma in a way that told him he should have said something sooner.

Koenma sighed. "If you fail, you can only try again in another seventy years. It takes that long for the proper alignment of the planets and stars to take place. It is an alignment that no real scientist knows, because it is completely jumbled and out of the place. In two weeks, there is a full moon, and when the moon is directly in the middle of the sky, right over your heads, the pieces must be fit together and laid out where they can catch all of the moonlight. When they do, and the pieces glow like the moon, then you'll be able to tell it what you want, and it will understand you no matter what language you speak. Understood."

"Yeah, but two questions?" Seika inquired, turning to Koenma, who had by now let his hand fall from Seika's shoulder.

"Yes?"

"One. When do we leave?"

"Tonight." Jennifer answered, pulling out a cell phone. "I'll get it all arranged tonight. Kurama nodded to add that he'd make sure it was done if his wife didn't.

"And Two." Seika continued. "Who all is going?"

That one Yusuke answered.

"Well, it seems as if you, Katai, Haku, and Yoru are all going. But, we can't forget the girls. We promised them they could go on a mission." He commented, looking happy again.

"An easy mission!" Katai corrected, folding her arms. She was just glad there was a way Kenya could be saved.

"This is virtually easy." Koenma answered just as Yusuke glared at his daughter. "There is no real fighting involved except for what the Dark Lord might send you along the way, and I'm certain you all can handle it, and this is a chance for the girls to get a grip on what it's like to be detectives. They must go."  
Instantly, both Satou and Tsuki looked up, googly puppy faces on.

"Oh please!" They whined, coming together, side by side, as if that double up the power of their face. "Pretty please! We want to come! We want to learn!" They exclaimed at the same time.

"It's scary when they do that." Seika commented dryly to Koenma, but all the same, he nodded. "I don't see why they can't come. And it is easy."

"I've got one last question!" Katai said, coming up to Seika, Koenma, and the girls.

They turned to her and waited.

"Since Kenya's not here, who gets to be the temporary leader?"

Koenma smiled, and turned to look at Seika.

"You're looking at him."

Little did they know that off in the distance, a black crow cocket his head and flew off from his perch.

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Catse: What did you think? I like this chapter. If there are any questions, feel free to ask! Ja Ne! 


	5. The Beginning of the Trip

Catse: Here you go everyone! The story is up! The group take their first strides out of Japan for the first time since becominga team! I hope you all like this chapter! Well, gotta go and write at the bottom. Ja Ne for now!

* * *

Disclaimer: Me no own characters of YYH, just as said in first chappie.

* * *

Seika sighed as he scratched Niko's back. The little pet on his shoulder mewed with pleasure, and then licked him on the face when he stopped, hoping to prompt him to keep scratching him.

Seika would never have believed in a million years if some one had told him, that this very night he was going to take a journey in less than two weeks in order to find the other eleven pieces of the puzzle of the Zodiac. Not only that, but to be the leader of the entire group!

That had always been Kenya's job, and everyone excepted it. Kenya had everyone's respect, and here he was, now, with is job and without a real idea of how to do it. He sighed again, walking down the sidewalk towards Kenya's home. Niko sat up on his shoulder, purring as he relaxed and took a nap in a clinging reddish ball of fluff.

He figured that, since he was going to be gone for two weeks, he might as well pop in and say goodbye to Suta, and assure her everything was going to be alright. After all, she was very much like his mother, in that when he needed a home she took him in and cared for him like he was her very own son. He had roomed with Kenya, hung out at the Dojo, and all the other stuff that was done in the family. He almost felt sorry for Suta, but that's why he was heading to her house wasn't it? He'd already packed up, two suitcases full of what he would need so that he wouldn't really have to wash as they went unless he needed to, and the food and other supplies for Niko. He was supposed to show up at Kurama's home and from there Haku's family would take them to the air port. But that he didn't have to do for another hour or so, and he already figured Hiei was off training to burn off some steam, so he might as well see how Suta was doing.

After a little walking, he came up to the humble two story house around the center of Tokyo. The yard was fenced in, the grass a little overgrown from neglect, and the front door old. He stepped up to the door and knocked. When no one came to greet him, he shrugged and let himself in.

There was a slight light bouncing around on the walls where the living room was down the hall. He could hear Hiei's voice, and some of Suta's too. And was that…a baby crying? He walked over quietly, and came into the living room to find Suta sitting on her couch, curled up with a tissue in her hand. On the television set in the room, played what looked like home videos of the Nohara family.

"Aunt Suta?" Seika inquired, walking in. Suta's head popped up, her eyes bloodshot from crying, and smiled.

"Ah…Seika. How have you been?" She inquired. She stood up and bowed to him before hugging him.

"Fine. I figured I'd come over to see how you were before I left off. What are you watching?" Seika inquired. He sat down near his Aunt and stared at the screen. There stood Hiei a look of bliss that didn't belong on his face. Hiei never looked…happy. He always looked about ready to kill something, even now that Kenya was gone. Hiei stood in what appeared to be a hospital room, a tiny baby wrapped in a blanket in his arms.

"That was when Kenya was born." Suta told him with a smile. "Hiei was thrilled to have a boy. It had been his dream that his rare blood line would travel to another son, so as to show his old family that there was another boy for them to worry about. He was so happy it was almost out of place."

Seika nodded, and watched the screen. He could hear Kuwabara's voice in the background, so apparently he was the one with the camera, and the lens blurred and turned to the bed where Suta herself sat, a tousled body in a medical gown and sweat soaked hair. She smiled weakly, her head supported by a pillow and smiled. Yukina sat next to the bed with an orange sponge, dipping it in water and then applying it to Suta's head to keep her cool.

Kuwabara told Suta to smile and she did. Then she told him the date of birth, the gender, and the new name of their son, Kenya Ruki Nohara. Then she turned towards Hiei, and practically giggled so hard she was in pain. Kuwabara again changed the camera over, and after it went into focus, the image was found to have Hiei with a look of pure shock on his face, as his finger was stuck lodged in Kenya's mouth, and Kenya sucked on it.

Hiei glanced up, and then back at the baby, and then up again as if wondering if there was something wrong with his child. Suta continued to giggle at the side, and then hiss with pain every once in a while as a nurse came in took the baby from them. Then Kuwabara laughed when Hiei began to argue with the nurse and follow her out of the room, before the image cut off to show another scene.

The next scene had them in the backyard, and apparently Suta was the one with the camera. She focused in on Hiei with his sword, as he practiced to some music the Dancing Swords Technique. She watched him for a bit, and then she turned the camera to two children sitting on a chair in the back. There sat Kenya, about a year or so old with his eyes wide open in amazement as he watched in fascination his father's moves. The other was Yoru, whom sat with her arms crossed, a glare on her face.

Suta commented on how much Kenya loved to see his father practice as a child, and how much Yoru wanted to fight with her father, even as a kid.

They sat in silence for a moment as they watched the clips. One Seika remembered the most was the clip in which Hiei first tried to teach Kenya to hold a wooden sword. Kenya held it loosely in his hands, and watched it with the sort of child satisfaction that came with something new to look at. Then he promptly lifted it up and stuck the end of it in his mouth.

Hiei scolded him gently and pulled it out, giving him a demonstration at the side as he held his own wooden sword.

He would tell the boy to hold it just like him, and then Kenya would look at his sword, then his father's sword, drop his, and reach out for Hiei's. Hiei would roll his eyes and walk out of the picture, Kenya wobbling as he tried to follow.

The next image showed another day, this time with Hiei prompting Kenya to hit him in the chest.

He would point, tell him to hit, and then stand straight to give Kenya good access. If Kenya did manage to hit him, it wouldn't be very hard, so Hiei wasn't afraid. Kenya again stuck the wooden sword in his mouth to chew on, and after taking it out and talking to him again, Kenya dropped the sword and tried to walk away. Of course Hiei chased him down and brought him back, handing him the sword again, in which he again dropped it and tried to walk away. Hiei brought him back, told him the instructions again while trying to keep his patience, and when Kenya again popped the sword in his mouth, he decided to show the child what to do with the sword. He took it from the child's mouth, pointed it to himself, and hit himself. Kenya pointed and giggled, and then fell down for lack of balance.

Seika smiled, almost receiving tears in his own eyes. Suta laughed sadly, and then wiped away the wet excesses on her lids and laughed again, making a sound that was a cross between a giggle and a sob.

Seika frowned, glanced back at the video in which Kenya was about five, holding the sword and trying to hit hanging boards from the trees, in which he got hit back by them, and he would walk away rubbing his back. Kenya was their baby…their son. He was their most precious. Not only was he well trained, but he had honors that not even his father had, and a reputation that was amazingly slightly larger no less. Seika stood up. He would have to leave. He'd spent too much time already.

"I've got to go. Our plane leaves in an hour and I need to be on it ten minutes before. Will you be alright?" He asked, as Suta stood up for a hug.

"Yes yes. I'll be fine. Do me a favor. Watch out for Satou for me, will you?"  
Seika nodded. "Yeah. I promise you I won't let a thing happen to her." He hugged her and in her ear he whispered. "I'll bring Kenya back. I promise."

"I'm ready!" Satou announced, running down the stairs. She dragged a suitcase behind her with a brown monkey on the front and pink lining.

"You're using that?" Sieka inquired as she dragged it into the living room. "That's a bit young for you isn't it?"

"That's what you said about porcelain dolls, and that's not true! The old lady across the street has tons of them!" She argued, pulling her little case over to her mother so she could give her a hug.

Seika smacked his forehead. "Right you are. How silly of me." He said sarcastically.

"So, we go?" He inquired when she had said goodbye.

"Yeah, but I wish Dad was here so I could say goodbye to him."  
"I know." Seika agreed. "But he's going through a rough time. I'm sure he'll love to hear from you on the phone when we get to where we're going. Come on, we don't want to be late."  
Satou nodded and came towards the door when she stopped and turned, running back upstairs with a squeek.

"What the hell?" Seika inquired just a moment after she disappeared. When she came back down, she had her camera in her hands.  
"I don't want to forget this! I told my friends I was going to travel the world and they didn't believe me, so I decided to bring my camera, and I have plenty of extra film and everything!" She said with a smile.

Seika rolled his eyes and like the big brother she saw him as along with Tsuki, he pushed her out the door and said one last final goodbye to Suta. Kenya's mother stood in the door way, a forced smile on her face as they disappeared down the sidewalk. With everything a mother had, she hoped that they could bring back to life her son.

It wasn't very long after that that they were taken to the airport and Jennifer finished the arrangements to get them on the plane. Kurama and Jennifer said goodbye to their son, with a hug and a kiss on his cheek that Haku looked embarrased about, because he was a guy and they usually were at times like that. Katai devoured a sandwich as she yanked her over size backpack onto her shoulders, and Yoru glared at her just to spite her. Yoru hadn't been at home, but she had been wandering around for a while. After all, she had already told them that she was no longer a part of the Nohara family, and it would ruin her speech if she returned home to spend the night. Instead, she had popped up at Haku's house with a flimsy bag of her own belongings and a frown on her face.

Seika shook his head as he guided Tsuki to the plane.

The attendant accepting tickets stopped them.

"Is there anyone coming with you that is eighteen or older?" She inquired.

"Why do we need someone like that? We're old enough. We can take care of ourselves!" Seika began, starting to look aggravated.

The woman shook her head.  
"Unless you're eighteen, I cannot let you on board—"

"Oh shut it." Yoru interrupted, coming up to stand before Seika and Tsuki. "I'm twenty-one and I'm accompanying these children with me." She said, receiving a growl from Katai on the "children" part.

"Who all is with you?" The attendant asked. Apparently she also was aggravated about being interrupted.

"The two squirts, the middle age, and the two other teens." She said, not even bothering to point. Instead, she kept a steady glare on the attendant, as if trying to dare her to stand up to her. The attendant nodded, and afterward took their tickets with a mumble of having a safe trip for all of them. Katai glared at her as she walked by, and if wasn't long after that they all found seats and got comfortable. Jennifer had surprisingly got them first class tickets, in which they weren't sure they needed the comfort, but Haku merely shrugged and told them they would live with it, and be fool to object.

Seika, Katai, and Haku sat in their own row around the front, Tsuki and Satou a few rows behind them together, giggling about something or another. Yoru sat at the very back, watching everything that went on with a sturdy distrustful back to the wall. She didn't like sitting anywhere where her back was open.

About ten minutes or so later, the light flashed on telling them to buckle their seat belts, and after doing so, they felt the engine start up and begin to go.

Satou's shrill sigh for joy caught them all off guard, and they followed her pointing finger at the window, to find Hiei with his arms crossed, standing next to Kurama and Jennifer as he watched them lift off. They waved at him, in which in turn he gave them back a curt wave, and a smile telling them that for once in his life he was depending on someone else to get the job done.

Then they took off, and took to the air.

They found out a while later, after asking one of the attendants though, that the flight would last fifteen hours.

None of them were very happy about it, but after a few bags of peanuts and a couple of sodas, they settled in and searched for things to do.

The strange part, was that for most of the flight, Haku was in the restroom. Who was to know that he was air-sick?

Kurama never told them, and Haku kept it quiet, and they wouldn't have known that he got sick when too far up in the sky because they had never really flown before. The last time they were ever up in the air was when they flew Niko to Rioko's castle, and even then it hadn't been too long on his back. Haku only had started puking about four hours after lift off, when his stomach could take no more, and after that it was just a matter of returning for a few minutes and returning for a half an hour, and returning back again.

In the midst of this, Satou and Tsuki took pictures of his face as it took on an even lighter shade every time he came out of the restroom.

Then, not only that, but Seika became so bored on the trip he decided to do something interesting. He had suspected for a while now that Katai was beginning to have a crush on him, and she seemed to glow red every time he so much as just talked to a girl at school.

He decided to test the principal now.

"Hey! Hey you, ma'am. I need some help here." Seika called out, receiving a strange look from Katai whom had been fiddling with a CD player for about a moment or two.

"What do you need sir?" The flight attendant inquired, her skirt perhaps a little too short.

"Ma'am, I need to ask you something."

"What's that?"

"You see, I've been hearing around my old home town that girls think I'm cute. Well, my buddy here Katai seems to think I ain't, so we've been having a bet going on. So, I must ask. Do you think I'm cute?" He quirked a brow to show he was trying to be interesting, and the flight attendant giggled.

"Oh yes…You're cute alright."  
He heard Katai huff and already knew she was rolling her eyes and turning away. Just to keep her in attention, he continued the conversation.

"Do you think I'm…Handsome?" He inquired.

The Flight Attendent giggled again when he wagged his brows and nodded.

"Oh yes. Your friend must be a fool not to think of you as cute. Now, I must be getting back to work."

"Alright." Seika agreed. "I just have one last question for you."  
"What's that?"

"Do you think I'm sexy?"

There was a loud bang that erupted around the plane. Those that were sleeping suddenly woke up. Those that were bored stiff suddenly had looks of confusion on their faces. The flight attendant giggled, a hand over her face as she blushed furiously. She excused her self and went to the back of the plane so she could shed off her embarrassment as Seika nursed a bump on his head.

Yep. Katai liked him alright.  
"What!" He inquired, trying to look innocent.

"What do you mean what? You're slobbering over the poor girl and she has to finish her job. She told you that already!"

"But you didn't have to hit me!"

"Yes I did! You don't ask some girl you don't know if you're sexy! It's just stupid!"

"Alright." Seika agreed, turning around. After a moment of debate, he turned to Katai again.

"Do you think I'm sexy?"

Satou caught the next whap over the head on camera with a giggle.

Then she and Tsuki talked a while, and soon fell asleep. About night time Haku settled in a fell asleep, and both Katai and Seika had to agree that when he slept, he actually did look like the twelve year old he was. A twelve year old in a plaid long sleeve shirt and blue jeans, that was taking a short vacation from his job at Harvard for this trip.

Then Katai fell asleep, her face draped on Seika's shoulder as he grimaced about the long trail of slobber that was beginning to drip down his shoulder.

When he finally achieved a slight snooze, Yoru stood up and walked around the plane to stretch out her legs. If she could, she'd kill them all now and leave immediately, but her father kept her pinned there. She still wasn't sure how he managed to take over her Jagan, but as of the moment, until she figured out how to blow him off, she would do as he asked. It was only a matter of time. Plus, she could think more because she didn't really need to sleep. As long as her Jagan slept, she received the rest. Seika woke up when she passed him, and he watched her for a while, making sure she could be trusted. After all, he was the leader of the team and he had to make sure they remained safe.

About noon the next morning, the plane landed, and they stepped off in the United States, right in McAllen, Texas.

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Catse: Well what do you know? The group is now in Texas! And who knew Yoru could be so helpful when they needed her? I've already got everything planned for the next chapter, so I figure I'll give you an idea of what happens next time.

In basic, the group gets picked up by a pair of twins, both Rodeo Stars. Let's just say they're rather...protective of their home and each other. Well, 'til next chapter! Ja Ne for now!


	6. Texas

Catse: Well, here's the next chapter. Texans come into play! My people! Just kidding. Only the girl is like a lot of people around here. The guy is like some. Many people seem to think that Texans have a slangish drawl to them, and carry guns and wear cowboy hats and ride horses across their farms. That doesn't happen around here. Here most people call you Majita if you're a girl and Majito if you're a boy. All girls usually wear sandals, and both boys and girls have the bottoms of their pants torn, where girls are always wearing bell bottoms, and boys are wearing heavy pants that sometimes look about ready to fall off. You rarely see a cowboy hat around here, but boots aren't too rare, and the most common plant to find here is cactus. Then again, maybe this is a lot like the stereotype everyone sees.

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Disclaimer: See Chappie one...

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"So, what happens now?" Seika inquired as he helped his team gather their luggage to one spot. 

"We wait." Haku answered simply, making sure nothing was missing from his bags.

"Wait for what?"

Suddenly, a man walking by them collapsed and fell to the floor. The group surrounded him as Haku checked his pulse.

There was a large bleeding hole in his back.

"He's dead." He mumbled, standing up.

"Will yah get away from him! You're attractin' attention!" They heard a young voice snarl from behind them. Katai was the first one to notice him.

"It's a cowboy!" She hollered, pointing. Everyone else turned to see.

The man before them was probably about the same age as Seika, with a plaid red button up shirt hanging loosely open over a long sleeved white t-shirt. He wore a loose pair of jeans with a chain running along one side, and his alligator boots were nothing to be ignored, being a deep maroon and everything. He had his pale white hat cocked over green showy eyes, and a smile that came to prove he was just like Katai in attitude. In his hand stood a gun, in which he quickly twirled it and set it back into the holster at his hip.

"Hiyya dudes. I gather you're the team we been waitin' on?" He asked, but no one there understood him but Haku. They only spoke Japanese. He only spoke English.

"I would gather you are Cole Williams?" Haku inquired in English, and the boy nodded.

"The one and the same. Now if I could find my sister she could—"

Out of nowhere, a sandaled foot flew into Cole's face, knocking him to the ground sideways. After he had collapsed, and his hat flown off, he stood up with a curse.

"Geez! Warn me the next time you do that Christy! It gets on my nerves!"

"You're the one that shot a demon in public!" Christy snarled. She wore a blue sparkling tank top with the words "Princess" across the front, and a pair of jeans just a tad too tight for her. Her sandals were black and her dusty blonde hair was kept in pigtails at both sides of her head, her bangs hanging before blue eyes that matched her top.

Haku stopped and turned, looking at the man on the ground. There was no longer a human there, but a dead demon with green scaly skin and pointed ears. He was already beginning to evaporate, which greatly puzzled him. Demons didn't do that when dead.

"Well, anyways. My name's Christy Williams! This is my over reactive brother Cole. So you're the team?"  
"Yes." Haku answered instead. Seika and the others looked at him strangely, and he had to turn and translate for them what the new people had said. Once they understood, they bowed their heads as Haku presented them in English.

"Seika Kuwabara, Katai Urameshi, Satou Nohara, Tsuki Kuwabara, and Yoru Nohara. I am Haku Minamino. I would gather you are the detectives of Texas?"

They nodded as Yoru stepped in front of the group and glared at Haku. In perfect English, she stated very simply: "I will not be referred to as Yoru Nohara. I am just Yoru. If you fail to remember that I'll gut you, cook you, and eat you."

Seika would have reacted, but again, he didn't understand a word she said.

"She speaks English?" He asked Katai as the two people walked them to their van outside.

"I guess so. I didn't know either." Katai answered. "But there's one thing for certain. I'm glad I took an English class."

Seika sighed and felt the cold run up his spine.

"What? You don't understand English?"  
"I never took it." He told her simply. "I don't understand a word their saying. But I can understand Chinese!"

Katai shook her head and passed him as he presented his finger as if it were something wonderful. "We ain't in China." She said.

The two lead them to an old beat up van outside, and Katai sighed. She whispered something to Haku, and he glared at her, but then sighed and walked up to the curious Texans.

"She wants to know why you have a van if your Cowboys. She thought all cowboys have heavy duty trucks."  
"Where'd she get that idea?" Cole inquired as he opened the driver's side door.

"Television." Haku answered him.

"Well tell her back that I ain't no cowboy." Christy snapped, opening the back door of the van so as to store the group's luggage. "I just sit on the sidelines and watch."

"What does your brother do?" Seika asked through Haku as he set his stuff in the back of the van, along with everyone else.

"He's a Rodeo Rider." Christy answered, again through Haku.

Most of this conversation Haku was going to have to translate.

"Wow! Awesome! Um…What is that exactly?"

Haku narrowed his eyes and replied the question, and both Christy and Cole began to laugh their heads off.

"Hahahah You have no idea what a Rodeo man is? Hahahahahah!" Came Christy, valiantly holding onto the van to keep from tripping and falling.

"Well, they are Japanese! Hahahahah!" Cole returned. After a bit of huffing, and laughing, they finally calmed down and looked at Katai and Seika.

"A Rodeo Rider is a man that rides wild or angry bulls, and sometimes rides horses in the pursuit of lassoing a calf. It's dangerous, but a ton of fun and the crowds love it." Christy answered, she took most of the luggage and helped everyone into the van. Tsuki and Satou were strangely silent throughout most of it, and Christy got them in and tried to buckle their seat belts. Both Tsuki and Satou shook their heads and did their own seatbelt.

"We ride in the car sometimes. Mom's rules are not to drive without seatbelts." Satou told her in perfect English.

"Ah…So you too can speak English!" She exclaimed happily. Seika knitted his brows and turned.

"You can?" He said in Japanese.

"Yep." They answered.

"They've started teaching us English in school. Satou really liked how it sounded so she learned most of it this year. I still don't speak very well." Tsuki admitted, blushing.

Seika slapped his forehead. "How many people here know English!"

"I don't." Katai replied.

"Well, that's a relief." Said Seika, sighing as he got comfortable. The van had four rows of seats. The first was for the driver and passenger, where Cole and Christy sat. The next set were for two people, where Seika and Katai sat. The third had three seats with Tsuki, Satou, and Haku in the corner. There was an extra three seats in the back, but Yoru wasn't there.

"Hey! Get off the freakin' van!" Christy shouted out the window. Cole was already up and sitting on the window frame of his door, glaring at some that was on top of the van.

"You ride inside the car chick." Cole told her, angrily in a way. "That's what we American's do."

"Yes, but I am not American now am I. I will ride on this van or we will go walking. Is that clear human." They heard Yoru snap from above them.

"Why do you think she's on the roof?" Katai asked Seika.

He shrugged. "Well, we know she doesn't like to be close to anyone. But this place is hot as hell! You'd think she'd have brains enough to sit in her."

"Then again, she has ice abilities. Where we are drenched in sweat she's as cool as winter."

"Nuh-uh! That's not how it works chick!" Cole continued to argue as Christy clambered out of her seat. "You get in van, and we drive off. If you so much as lay a dent in this van, I will shoot you dead here and now!"  
"Go ahead. I'd like to see my own blood coat your van. It's acid, did you know?" Yoru told him. Haku sighed.

"It's alright. Let her ride on the top." He said softly. "She's not one anyone really wants to argue with. She's not exactly the abiding type if you know what I mean."

Cole shrank back into his seat with a huff.

"But she's on my van!"

"It's best you listen to what Haku says." Satou replied. "Yoru is a mean person! She dangled me out my window when I was two because I annoyed her!"

"All the more reason she should get her way!" Cole snapped. He opened the door and climbed out, now on the other side of the van where Christy was still arguing with Yoru.

"Look! I can understand you don't like being around people! But this is ridiculous! Do you know we can get pulled over and arrested for some one up there. That isn't going to help your mission you know!" Christy shot, glaring.

Cole pulled the gun from his holster and aimed.

"I'll shoot you, and I warn, I'm a good shot."

"Tsk. You're the detectives of this region and you can't even sense it? Tsk tsk." Yoru replied, bowing her head for a moment.

Then, out of nowhere, a black whip enladened with lightning shot out and shredded something that was floating in the air. It gasped and struggled, dropping to the ground like a fly when it became visible. There, on the pavement was a demon with large bat wings and eyes just as big, black and dead.

"I was hoping we wouldn't have to kill it." Christy argued, coming to the beast. "But in any case, at least now you'll know to get in the van."

Haku sighed. This argument was going nowhere. Yoru wouldn't accept unless forced to. With a quick use of some of his energy, he formed a whip that reached out through the door of the van and pulled Yoru off the roof. She fought with him, sliced him up with her claws, but this type of vine was indestructible to physical damage, which was why he had chosen it. Before long, he had pulled an angry Yoru through the driver's side door, over everyone's heads, and with a plop behind him, stuck her in the seat. Not only that, but the vines wrapped around the seat belt and buckled her in.

She glared at Haku with a vengeance, but did not attempt to leave the seat as if she was expecting they would do this.

Christy and Cole stuck their head in the van as they watched Haku buckle her in, and once finished, looked at him strange.

"Plant energy?" Cole inquired as he returned to the driver's seat. There was a lot to be discussed.

"Yes. My father taught me all he knew." Haku told him simply, folding his arms. "I believe the first place we're to go to is—"

He stopped when a purple fuzz ball leapt into the window and landed gracefully on Seika's lap.

"There you are Niko! I was wondering where you had disappeared to!"

Niko sat up, his reddish fur rippling, as electric wings faded into his back.

"Ah! How cute!" Christy shouted, leaping back to try to hug the little creature to death. Cole grabbed her pants and yanked her back, sitting her in the seat. "I'm backing out for godsakes Christy. Get your damned seatbelt on!"

Christy pouted, but finally complied with her brother and fastened the buckle.

"Now. What were you saying Haku?"

"Oh, right. We're heading to a hotel called the Embassy Suites?"

The van stopped.

"You're going there?" Cole asked from the drivers seat. He turned over, a look of surprise on his face. "That's a very expensive hotel."

They all nodded.

"I know and I blame my mother." Haku told them simply.

"Who's your ma?"

"My _mother…"_ Haku corrected. "Is Jennifer Minamino."

The car started moving and again Christy tried to get to the back seat.

"Jennifer Minamino! _The_ Jennifer Minamino!"

"Yes. Why, have you heard of her?" He asked.

Christy looked about ready to either scream or cry.

"She's my favorite auther in the entire world! I have every book she's written! Everything! Oh my gosh! Can I meet her! Where is she!"

Haku sighed. "She's in Japan right now. I doubt she'll be coming here any time soon, but she's the one that got us the arrangements at the hotel."  
"Well that's understandable! She's got to be rich as hell with her books! Wow! This is awesome! I'm talking with the only son of Jennifer Minamino!" Christy squeeled and Cole glared at her, turning up the music on his radio. This too confused the other team, considering they all thought Texas people listened to country, when on the radio there was rock.

"That's a stereotype everyone knows, but it ain't ever true. Some people here like country, we go for the rock stuff." Cole answered as he joined traffic. They drove a while, as the groups chatted about jobs and what their lives were like. Yoru remained silent the entire trip, still a little angry about being brought into he clustered van. About thirty minutes after their plane landed, they got to the hotel, and Cole parked in the tall five or six story parking lot, and they climbed out. At the hotel, the man at the front needed verification, so Haku sighed and gave him his name and his birth records and everything.

"I sometimes wish I were eighteen so people would leave me be." Haku told them quietly in Japanese as they came to their hotel room. The suite was huge, with a large living room like environment with several couches of a tan color, and a large television set with a set up for a game cube. With it were a few games the group could play later on. There was a fine kitchen at one side, with a large fridge and everything, and then several doors leading to different rooms. The first three were to bedrooms, in which they would have to team off to rooms. Katai was going to have to team off with Yoru, except that Yoru told them that she didn't sleep often, and would most likely be up the night, so Katai had a bed to herself. Next to the rooms was a narrow walk to a balcony where Yoru pretty much escaped to to be left alone, and then a rather large bathroom with all the necessary things to it.

"Wow." Seika said in Japanese as he looked around. "This is awesome."

"Yes. But there is more." Haku said as he checked the phone in the living room for a dial tone. "They have an indoor pool, hot tub, and sauna. Mother told me about them." Haku called the hotel, and then took down an order for some sort of Mexican plate he figured he and everyone else could try. Then he and everyone else got accustomed to the rooms and chatted. When the foot finally came, Seika took it and set it on the bar, as he tried to ask Cole what stuff was on it.

Cole shook his head, not understanding until Haku walked over and translated.

"Oh! Well, this is a chalupa, gordita, some fajita steaks with enchiladas, some beans and some of that good spiced rice. You've got quite a feast here." He acknowledged as Katai brought over another plate of the same goodies.

"I figured I'd get enough for everyone." Haku said sarcastically, checking out the details of the room. Being his father's son, he liked to make sure there was nothing stashed in the room that would get them later.

"Well, do you need anything from us?" Christy asked, getting comfortable on one of the couches.

"Yes." Haku answered back. He turned just as Seika popped a tomato in his mouth.

"We'd like you to tell us as much as you know of the region and the demons in it. And how much you know about our mission."

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Catse: Well, what do you think? Poor team right? I decided to give Yoru a little of the spot light in this, considering her fans and the fan club made for her and Haku. : ) Oh well, in any case, poor Haku is going to be very useful here. And throughout the rest of the story. If I happen to forget the languages some of the characters speak, please remind me. I might have already done so, but tell me anyways. Thanx for reading! Ja Ne for now! 


	7. A Little Background

Catse: Sorry this took so long! My last weekend was so crazily busy I completely forgot about this update. So here it is, once again, and pocky sticks to every body that so patiently waited on me! passes out pocky sticks of all sorts of flavors. Okay, well, the real busy chore over the weekend was that I got a new kitten, about five weeks old so she still clings to me like I'm her mother. If you're curious to what kind of cat she is, she's a Blue Point Siamese with big blue eyes. Okay, well, enough from me. I better get going so you can read this! Ja Ne for now and please enjoy!

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Disclaimer: Yeah well...You know this too...Big Smile I'm so lazy, aren't I?

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It took Cole and Christy about an hour or so to explain what they knew, explaining specifics about the area and everything. 

"This place ain't nice." Cole told them, putting a sort of accent to his words. "There're people here that'd shoot you dead just for lookin' at them. There are many fights in the schools and people walk around with weapons. Not many cops around here do much either. There are a few that are good, but the others usually pull you over for bogus reasons or like to watch how a chase goes without even moving their asses."

"The demons here aren't really dangerous. We haven't seen a truly dangerous one in years. Most of the time, they're just lackeys of demon world coming here to escape the deadliness there. We usually don't shoot them unless they're a threat. You see, if we see a demon, we question him first, and if he proves to be lying, then we arrest him and send him to Spirit World from here. The one you saw at the Air Port though had been talking with us, and then walked away on us without fully explaining himself. We suspected him as a spy, and when I turned to talk to someone at the main port, my wonderful intelligent brother here shot the demon in the back." Christy explained. She was curled up in a corner of the seat, a file in her hand as she smoothed out her long nails.

Seika and Katai sat together on a small couch, with Haku in a separate chair, the two girls playing in one of the bedrooms together, and Cole sitting on the floor because he exclaimed that there were only too places comfortable enough for his butt, the floor and the back of a large animal like a horse or a bull.

Of course, being the guy that Seika was, he began to choke on his laughing, and didn't stop for five minutes, in which those that knew him shook their heads, already knowing what was running through his mind.

"Other than all that, we don't know much about your mission. Koenma paged us only this morning to tell us you were on your way here, but wouldn't give us any specifics. So, what are you here for?" Christy said.  
The three downcast their eyes.

"Allow me to explain." Haku started after a moment. "You see, there were supposed to be four on our team. Seika, Katai, I, and another were together. The other was our leader, Kenya Nohara. He was killed a couple of days ago by a new enemy in Japan."

"Kenya Nohara, huh?" Cole mumbled. "I've heard that name some where."

"Of course you have you big dummie!" Christy shouted, knocking his head with her foot. "He's that Spirit Detective in Japan that killed that new guy Lord Rioko four years ago! Don't you remember anything!"

"Oh yeah! He had defeated an S-Class enemy while we were still getting a hang of defeating the little guys! He was a legend for us for a while. So he's dead? That's terrible."

"Yes well. That's why we're here. You see, he's not supposed to be dead. He was supposed to die with Lord Rioko, but he survived, so his death date was moved to a later time, and he died before that next date. Because of that, Spirit World refuses to revive him. But Koenma gave us an option. Have you heard of the Puzzle of the Zodiac?"

Both of the Texans shook their heads. "Nope. What's that?"  
"It's an artifact." They heard a smooth feminine voice come from the balcony. Yoru stepped into the room, a black leather jacket draped over her shoulder. "Find all the pieces and one wish'll be granted. They want to revive their leader with it."

"But, aren't you a member of the team? Wouldn't you be lookin' for it too?" Cole inquired. Yoru gave him a death glare, walked past them, and went to the door.

"Hey! Where're you going!" Katai shouted, jumping up.

"None of your business meat-head. I got some things I need to get done." Yoru opened the door, and disappeared behind it when it closed.

"That's odd. She usually doesn't just leave." Seika added, and Haku sighed.

"She's not a part of our group. In fact, we all never wanted her with us. It was her father that made her come."

"What do you mean? How could her father make her come?" Christy inquired.

"You ever heard of Hiei?"

"You mean that ice/fire apparition? Yeah, we heard of him. Heard he was causin' a ruckus in Japan for a while, after he went there to collect himself a gang so as to steal some artifacts. Why?" Came Cole.

"That is her father."

"Ah…I think I see the resemblance."

"You haven't heard the rest of it."

"What's the rest?" Came Christy, pausing in the filing of her nails out of curiosity.

"She is our sworn enemy, yet she is Kenya's older sister, as Satou is her younger."

The scream of surprise rang all around the hotel room, catching both little girls by surprise in their room.

"So Hiei had three kids! That's crazy!" Cole shouted.

"And then that girl's father had to force her to come! You'd think she'd come willingly!" Christy added.

"Yeah, well. Theirs is a weird family. Yoru despises her family, and tried to kill her brother and sister at one point, and I tried to kill her to prevent her from doing so. I thought I had. Then she showed up out of nowhere at the time Kenya was killed, and exclaimed that she had still wanted to kill him, and our new enemy did so before she did. She's basically exclaimed revenge on the Dark Lord for taking away her goal. Then, at the funeral, Hiei forced her to come with us; otherwise he would kill her with his powers. Believe me, none of us are happy she is here, but she does serve her purposes. She is a powerful ally, no matter how forced. She has survived the last four years after the damage I inflicted, and even frightens Hiei to the extent that he would have to use his Jagan on her."

"Wow." Cole and Christy said at the same time. "That's deep."

"So what are you looking for here? I've never heard of the puzzle, and I wouldn't know where to find it."

"Well. You see, the puzzle pieces are for every animal of the zodiac. Each piece has been materialized into the soul of certain people. We already have one, but we need eleven more."  
"Where'd you find that one?" Cole asked, leaning forward.

"Seika had it. Because of it he grew about as strong as we did in a matter of months. Now, we don't know which piece is in this region, but Koenma insisted there was one here. Since you all know this area, he asked you all to help us. Have you any ideas where we can start?"

Both brother and sister thought about it for a while, and finally smiled.

"Well, there's a rodeo tomorrow, and tons of people pop up there! You might be able to find it there!" Christy exclaimed happily, Cole nodding in agreement.

"We have a problem." Seika told Haku after a moment. "We have no idea how to find this piece."

Haku nodded. "Actually we do. Our watches are programmed to search out and find the person with it when we're close. They'll beep if we're near one of the zodiac pieces."

"Next question." Katai started. "How do we get the pieces? I don't believe we brought a pair of tongs with us."

Haku thought about that a moment, and finally shrugged.  
"I don't know."

"You don't know! You're supposed to have all the answers!" Seika shouted.

Haku frowned. "I'm a Child Genius, not Buddha."

"Well, we better be off." Christy stated, standing up. "We need our sleep, and you'll need all you can get to go searching tomorrow. We'll come by and pick you up early, so be ready. Good bye."

She walked to the door, but when she realized Cole hadn't stood up, she walked back, pinched his ear, and dragged him towards the door.

"Owowowowowow! Would you stop that! That hurts!"

"I wouldn't have to be doing this if you would just get going!" Christy shouted at him, and they disappeared behind the door.

"They're certainly strange people." Seika commented.

Haku glanced at them with a frown.

"What?"

"Well, I say we should check out the hotel. I'll take the girls with me." Katai offered, being unusually nice for her. She walked over to the room they were in, but stopped, turned around, and snatched Seika's ear. "You're coming too!"

"Hey!"

Haku nearly smiled as she dragged him off, gathered the girls, and disappeared out the door as well. All alone, Haku sighed.

This was going to be an interesting trip.

Just then, as he had decided that maybe a shower was his best way of relaxation, his watch beeped at him.

He checked it to find that Koenma had sent him a message.

For some reason, Koenma didn't like talking over the walky-talky system of the watches, so instead he sent written messages to inform them. This one told him that their watch beepers for locating the zodiacs had recently been out of commission, and that they had just barely fixed it so that it could work again. In the next two minutes, it would come back into effect.

Haku sighed. He hoped beyond a shout of a doubt, that they could find all the pieces and bring Kenya back. He also wondered, as he found the bathing utensils he would need, where Kenya was now, and how he was doing. He hoped that the Dark Lord wasn't harming him in any way, and that if he was, Haku would have a word to say to him. No one messed with his friends, ESPECIALLY since he had so much trouble in making them. That was his vow.

The clinking of glass echoed around the dark room as the spirit tried desperately to escape.

"What kind of material is this?" Kenya inquired, rubbing his ghost hands across the material. "Spirits are supposed to go through all materials."

"That is a special material I invented myself." A voice said from the shadows. "It's very effective in keeping things in one place as I'm sure you've noticed."  
"Who are you?" Kenya inquired, sitting down Indian style on the floor. It was no use in beating the glass if he couldn't get through it without a physical body.

"Come now. The leader of the infamous Spirit Detectives of Japan should know the answer to that, don't you think?"

Kenya growled. "The Dark Lord…"  
"Very good, very good. Word serves me right then. You are clever. Yes, I am the Dark Lord, but I would prefer you call me Sifirus. It is my name you know."

"Sifirus? What kind of a name is that?" Kenya inquired. A cloaked figure stepped out of the shadows, a golden medallion around his neck and silver cane in his hands.

"What kind of a name is Kenya Nohara? You sound half African and half Japanese."

Kenya snorted. "Very funny. Listen. I don't appreciate being held captive. I would much like to return to my body so if you could kindly oblige I'll make sure you keep some of your heart before I stab the living day lights out of it and your bird over there." Kenya gestured towards the black crow, that was now pouncing around his perch, looking agitated under his spot light.

"Corus doesn't like being referred to as a bird." Sifirus informed him, as the crow leapt up and landed on his shoulder like a loyal pet. "He's much too refined for that."

"Then get the parrot to speak, or are his refined tastes too casual for that too?" Kenya inquired. He wasn't afraid of this man. Sure his ghost form was held in one spot, but no one could really kill a spirit. It was one thing he had learned over time. All spirits either checked in or didn't into Spirit World. Those that didn't were the ones that haunted the world looking for a way out of eternity. Those that did were either reincarnated or sent to suffer in the depths of Limbo, the very epitome of pain and blood. As of yet, he still didn't know of anyone that could _kill _a spirit.

"Tough words for someone in a glass bottle." Sifirus chuckled, and the crow preened it's feathers, looking amused.

"Yes well, I'll find a way out of here and then I'll return to my body."  
"Don't you know boy? You're dead. Your funeral was yesterday." The Dark Lord exclaimed with what sounded like a smile in his voice. "They all think you're gone!"

"That's not true! They're trying to find a way to bring me back! I know it!" Kenya argued. "Otherwise, why would you be holding me here and in "one spot" as you so wonderfully put it, unless you were afraid I'd be able to kill you once and for all like the last guy that tried to destroy us."  
"That other being was nothing. He was a fool to allow children to attack him, even though he knew that the power of a child is always underestimated due to their age. You proved that yourself if memory serves me correctly."

Kenya growled. How dare he talk about the difficult battle he nearly died in over four years ago as if it were a simple mistake? It was a dark and evil deploy on the world and he chatted about it like it was a math problem he didn't solve correctly!

"They're trying to get me out of here." Kenya continued, keeping in balance his own confidence in his friends, along with his belief. "And they'll get me out of here. You just see."  
"Fool." A scratchy refined voice said. "You will die in that cage. I know you will." The crow leapt off his masters arms and flew over the glass bottle, cackling. "You will die! You will die! Just as I died in my cage! You will die here!" Sifirus walked over to the door and extended his arm, beckoning the crow.

"Come Corus. You've some work to do. We must keep an eye on our state of affairs."

The crow seemed to nod in mid air and flew over to his master's arm, landing delicately and unusually to a crow. The two walked out, leaving Kenya as a dead spirit in the dark, waiting for a miracle.

Haku had emerged from the bath as the rest of his team returned. Satou and Tsuki with delight about something, and ran into their room, completely disappearing behind the door.

"What's with them?" Haku inquired in Japanese.

"We told them we'd go swimming in the pool downstairs tonight. We don't know this place well, and tomorrow is the only time we'll be able to get out, so we figured we'd spend at least tonight that we're stuck here with some fun. Why are you wet?" Seika inquired, poking the wet bangs that hung in clumps around Haku's face.

"It's called a shower. Look it up." Haku replied, walking away as he rubbed the towel on his shoulders over his face to dry it. "I think I'll come to the pool too. I'd like to see more of the hotel, just to get a view of what mother insisted we stay at."

Seika gave Katai a look of confusion, in which she shrugged and returned to her own room. The temporary leader of the team sighed and went to the same room Haku had gone to, in order to change into his swimming trunks.

A few moments later, completely clad in swimming gear, they stepped to the door and opened it.

In the doorway, Yoru stood with a look of agitation on her face, her hand extended to open the door.

She gave them a quick look up and down, and snarled. "I gather you're trying to be like the other humans in this hotel. Stupid." She brushed past them, practically shoving Katai out of the way, and retreated back towards her balcony at the end of the room.

"Sometimes I wonder if she does that for laughs." Seika murmured as Katai began to growl.

"How dare you shove me to the side like I'm NOTHING!" She snarled, fists raised, growl emanating from her clenched teeth.

"You are nothing. I thought you knew that already." A voice said from the balcony.

"Why you?"

"Come on." Seika mumbled quietly, grabbing her shoulders and shoving her out the doorway. "No time to start fights here unless there's something to start a fight for."

"But I—!"

"No buts Meat-head. Just keep going."

Haku shook his head as the little girls ran out of the room squealing in excitement. "This is going to be an interesting afternoon."

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Catse: There, what do you think? Please review! I like the part where Kenya meets Sifirus the Dark Lord. You see, I've noticed in a lot of my past stories, my bad guy was really fake, so I wanted to make someone really realistic this time, who's smart enough to know the steps to taking over the world. And of course, like any really good badguy should know, you have to get rid of you top enemy in order to make clear passage. In this case, Kenya is the top enemy because he's the one that got rid of the last destroyer. So, I usually don't do this, but I'm going to give a preview to next time's story below. I've got it already planned, so I thought you might like to hear about it.

Next Chapter: The Rodeo Begins!

Cole is an excellent rider, and Christy knows a ton about what's going on around, and the search for the Zodiac peice becomes both hazardous and funny as the team searches for any clues they could use. But what happens when drunk cowboys try to get a date with Katai, and Seika tries his hand at bull riding? And why does Yoru keep disappearing like she did in this chapter? You'll find out later in The Rodeo Begins.

Don't I just sound so much like an episode announcer? Ja Ne for now!


	8. Time Spent

Catse: Now I know it's been a while since I last updated (one whole week!) and I know you all are probably pretty mad at me, but I have finally updated! And not only that, but I'm putting up two updates this time so as to make up for my lateness. That and the second is this weeks update. Well, tell me what you think. I really don't have enough time right now to chat much. I've got stuff I need to finish. Next week is End of the Year exams and I still have a ton of studying to do. Okay then, Ja Ne for now!

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Disclaimer: See Chappie one...

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The pool was large, reaching from three feet to seven and eight in the back. Haku swam around in the middle, doing his best to work his weak muscles, as Tsuki and Satou splashed water at each other in the three and four feet areas, Satou's camera on the side of the pool should anything interesting arise (it was water resistant too), and Seika and Katai spent their time at six feet to seven, racing each other at swimming. Yoru sat at the side, still fully clad in her black jeans and leather jacket, and the boots with the belts and silver buckles. She had decided to come for some strange reason that they couldn't figure out. Haku merely guessed she was looking for an opportunity to get at them with. 

"I'm going to win!" Katai gurgled, water splashing in pleats behind her.

"We'll see that when I reach the finish line first." Seika splashed back, a watery smile on his face.

It ended up with them tying and neither winning, but in any case, they were still proud of it as if they both had won.

"Hah! Did you see that! Not even the mighty Seika Kuwabara could win me!" Katai giggled, fists raised in front of her.

"Oh really. You're the one with the legacy Ms. Katai Urameshi." He replied back, splashing water into her face.

"How dare you?" She laughed, splashing water back. They continued like this for a while, until them finally became bored with it and began splashing water on Haku, before running away before he could splash them back.

None of them noticed, except for Satou whom was not very agreeable to what her cousin was doing.

Tsuki had been watching Yoru for a while, and, feeling sorry for her eldest cousin, decided to offer her to play. So she had gotten out of the water and walked over to the tall wall that separated the pool from the showers to get the chlorine off, where Yoru lay back relaxed and agile, waiting for a fight.

"Excuse me Yoru." She said in a small voice, very shy as she was. "Would you like to play with us?"

Yoru's tiny red eyes flashed at her cousin as if they were cigarettes. "Why the hell would you ask me a dumb thing like that kid?" She snarled, not even bothering to sit up.

"Well, you looked very lonely up there, so I thought you might want to play a game with Satou and me. I know you hate all of us, and the only reason you're here is because Uncle Hiei made you, but you could try to have a little fun on the trip, right?"

Yoru gave her a glare meaner than anything she had ever really given in her life, except for when it was her brother or Haku she was talking to.

Satou grabbed the edge of the pool, ready to defend if she had too. She hated meddling with Yoru, much less talking to her older sister, and was afraid that that glare on her face meant she was ready to pounce. Instead though, Yoru surprised her.

Her face softened only slightly, just enough to relax the glare, and she turned away from Tsuki.

"Go play and leave me alone, 'lest I slit your throat." She said in an accent, before leaping off of the wall and stalking away.

Tsuki turned around and shrugged, returning back to the pool where the others were.

"You shouldn't have done that. Now's she's gonna hurt you in your sleep." Satou told her, tears at her eyes already.

"If she does. We'll be ready. Kay?" Tsuki replied back, cheering her cousin up greatly.

"Okay."

"Where'd Yoru get off to?" Seika inquired after Haku had caught up to them and sprayed them with a fan of water.

"Probably back to the hotel. She's not a person that likes the public." Katai answered, talking as if Yoru was nothing to be concerned about. "Besides, it better she left. She was getting on my nerves, watchin' all the time like that. It's like the attack of the evil babysitter or somethin'."

Seika laughed about that, splashing her with water, and they continued the other game of getting at each other, as Haku stood still, wondering what had caused Yoru to leave. Yes, she wasn't a person that liked the public or people in general for that manner, but she also wasn't one to just up and disappear after she had taken the time to get settled in one place. Something had scared her off, which somewhat worried him.

The next morning Seika awoke in a sort of cold sweat. He had had a dream, a relatively strange one to be exact, and wasn't exactly sure what it was trying to tell him. Basically, in the dream, he was standing alone on a cliff, and before him there was a sign on the ground, almost like the Earth's tattoo, of a dragon entwined around a fountain of lightning shooting from the ground. He looked around him, and found that there were eleven pieces in a circle leading and ending with his. Each displayed an animal with one of their body limbs, or even their tails wrapped around something organic, or more precisely, an Earth Element, such as the lightning with the dragon. In front of the signs were people too, but he couldn't see their faces or their bodies. They were more like dark masses that you could see the form off, but were too far off to tell if they were even a man or a woman. Then Seika noticed something interesting. The circle of tattoos surrounded a deep pit, and upon looking in, he found a tunnel leading to nothing but darkness. Then, as he watched, a brilliant light echoed from within it, and slowly, a frail figure dressed in white floated up towards the sky. At first, it was nothing but that white…a light in the darkness. But as it came up, arms outstretched and silvery white hair flowing, he nearly froze. He didn't know this person, or who she was, but she was very familiar to him, and he couldn't tell why. Everything about her told him that she was a grace upon the Earth, and that he knew her, but when they had met or who she was, he did not know. When her eyes opened, the purple expanses of light nearly drowned away everything, as if a yellow light had flown around them and completely demonlished all misery and pain. He knew then, what it felt to be pure…to not be tainted with destruction or blood. But he also realized, with this feeling, that to be left without pain, meant he was to be left without happiness as well. As if her purification had done just that, left him empty and hallow.

That was why he woke in a cold sweat. He wasn't sure if the dream had meant to be a warning, or a message of the future to come, but either way, for some reason, he was uneasy. It was as if the woman had told him without words, how important finding the puzzle pieces was. And he would have to do just that. Find those puzzle pieces.

He sat on the edge of the large bed, letting his feet dangle over the side as he noticed solemnly his puzzle piece on the table.

Slowly, almost hesitantly, he reached over and picked it up, rolling it around in his hands and feeling the edges of every crevice. A small turn of the pipe going through it proved to change the shape of the figure only slightly, as if it were a goop in his hands he was trying to make a form out of. He played with it for a few minutes, and finally, with an exasperated sigh, he set it on the table from where he had taken it, and stood up. He found that Haku's side of the bed had been made to almost a military perfection, in which Seika was certain that if he dropped a coin on the bed it would bounce off the sheets. He scratched his head, found a pair of jean and a t-shirt that he felt suited his day, and left the room to realize he had woken with the sun, as he rarely did anymore. The dream must have made sure he was up early. He found the living room strangely empty as he stepped in, and began to wonder where Haku had disappeared to, when he heard a cooking sound echoing from the kitchen.

Figuring Haku was trying to cook himself something this morning, he sat at the bar and nearly fell out of the chair again.

There, in the kitchen, was Yoru frying something up in a pan she had found.

"You're cooking?" He asked almost sarcastically.

Yoru didn't even turn around when she snarled.

"You're living?"

"Very funny. And yes, I want to keep on living too, before you say anything." Seika replied, and he nearly slapped himself on the forehead. _'Great. Now I'm starting to sound like Haku. I hang around him far too much.' _

Yoru turned only slightly to make sure he could see the scowl on her face, before turning off the oven and pouring the contents onto a plate.

With a pair of black chopsticks, and a cup of some mystery juice that smelled much like blood after it had sat a while, she sat down on the couch, flipped on the TV, and ate.

'_Great. Now she's watching the news? What can a demon out to kill her brother possibly learn out of the news?'_

"I can learn when it's going to rain, when there's someone to watch out for, and when it's time to kill an annoying team mate." Yoru said out loud without turning, revealing to Seika a forgotten talent she had for mind reading.

"Ah…" He whispered slightly as the door to Katai's room opened up. She came out, hair in a tousle of tangles, face sleepy, one fist rubbing at her eye as her other hand scratched at something on her stomach under her night shirt.

Katai wasn't one to leave herself open to anyone, even when she slept, so she usually wore a t-shirt and karate pants for bed, exclaiming that should she be attacked she was well dressed to fight back. Seika merely thought about how silly she looked when she woke up to find that she had put her pants on wrong during a nightly excursion to the bathroom she could never remember, or how there was a large wet stain on her shirt to prove she had tried to get a midnight drink while half asleep.

She walked in, still rubbing here eye, and came up to Seika. He waved good morning, before a well poised fist knocked his nose towards a one way trip to the floor, and a certain someone's foot crashed into his spine.

"Katai! Wake up! Ugh!" He croaked as he felt the bones in his spine snap. _'That doesn't sound good.'_

"Ahh…" Katai mumbled, stepping off of him as she swaggered backwards. She finally stopped, dropped the fist from her eye, and looked around. When her eyes landed on Seika in the middle of the floor, she scowled.

"Stop sleeping on the floor you idiot! There is a bed you know!" She hollered, stepping on his back again just to make sure he was awake if he were unconscious, and to prove he should never sleep on the floor with her around.

When she had made it to the fridge and taken a look in, Seika pounced up and began to yell.

"You're the one that stepped on ME!" He hollered, hands outstretched as if he were ready for a battle.

"Yeah. It's called "not sleeping on the floor or else you'll get used as a rug'. Look into it, I think you'll be surprised." She told him with a snap, finding the empty fridge displeasing and hunting for the phone so as to order breakfast.

"That's not what I meant!" Seika shouted, just as the door opened and Haku, Cole, and Christy walked into the room.

Haku shook his head.

"I leave for ten minutes and you're already trying to rip each other's heads off." He said as he stepped out of the way for the two Texans.

"Wow. Reminds me of when me and Christy used to get up in the morning. We always bickered." Cole told them, a cowboy hat draped over his head and covering his eyes. On one cheek there was a deep red slap mark. Haku translated his remark into Japanese for them to hear.

"Where'd you get the slap?" Seika inquired as Katai began to argue with the man on the other side of the phone of the hotel for not speaking Japanese.

Haku translated what Seika had asked, and Cole shrugged. "Christy gave it to me this morning after we woke up."

"So you still bicker?"

"Sometimes."

"What do you mean by sometimes?"

"Well, we used to bicker every morning. Now we only bicker every time we wake up."

"And that's much different!" Seika replied back, both of them using Haku as their translator.

"Oh shut it, will you?" Christy inquired as she took a seat on the far side of the couch away from Yoru. She watched the screen almost blankly as Yoru flipped from channel after channel every few seconds without touching the remote control. The only thought running through her head was how could anyone actually understand what was going on in less than three seconds of each channel. She couldn't even do that in over five minutes, much less three seconds.

Katai huffed and hung up the phone just as Tsuki and Satou tumbled out of their rooms, both fully dressed with big grins on their faces and little purses on their hips.

When Katai asked why the hell they were carrying purses, the two girls replied that all girls did that these days, and that they liked purses. Katai's only response was to wrinkle her nose and return to her room with a grumble about something having to do with some girls being different than others before the door was closed and she was gone for the moment.

Haku sighed and picked up the phone, ordering a take out breakfast for them all to pick up at the entrance of the hotel, knowing very well exactly what Katai had picked the phone up for, and once finished, hung up the phone with a weary sigh. Seika remained seated at the bar, as if waiting for something, and began to watch the television set flick channels the same way Christy did, with major confusion and not an idea of what was going on any of them.

Finally, Katai emerged with a black long sleeved undershirt and a plaid short sleeved over-shirt that was open at the front to reveal the Metallica symbol on the long sleeve. Her long black hair was curled up in a shiny bun underneath a large red baseball cap and a frown caught her features as she stared at the television set.

"How that hell can you tell what's happening?" She asked in aggravation, after the channels didn't seem like they would ever stop flipping. She didn't receive an answer, but instead the television set went black, and Yoru stood.

"I just do. That's _all_ you need to know."

"Hey guys. If we're all ready, we better get going. My Rodeo starts in an hour and we gotta be there thirty minutes before hand so I can get ready. I don't like being late." Cole stated the obvious.

It took a minute for them all to leave the room and Haku, who had the key (because he didn't trust them with it) locked the door, they picked up their breakfasts and were gone in Cole's van in a matter of five minutes.

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Catse: So, what do you think? They so need Haku. Without him, everyone's in chaos, yes? Well, I've got to go. Please review! 


	9. The Rodeo

Catse: Okay, this is where a lot of the culture of where I come from really come into play. For those of you that don't know, I am a Texan, and proud of it, but the place I live is almost like another Mexico. The only difference is that this is Texas and it is right next to Mexico. In any case, I tried to put as much of my culture in here as I could, so please enjoy, and if you understand the words used in here and I have spelled them wrong, I apologize. I practically flunked Spanish class.

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Disclaimer: See chappie one...

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They again had trouble with Yoru considering the van and how she hated riding in it. When they insisted she get in, she shook her head only slightly, arms crossed, sitting in Indian Style on the roof. 

"Do we have to go over this again? Not on the damn roof you Black Widow Geek!" Cole hollered up, becoming aggravated.

Seika had to stop himself from laughing when they heard a cracking sound come from the roof and Cole go flying when one of the railings from the top of the van knocked him down cleanly.

"Look! You don't need to be mad you crazy chick! Just get off the van and get inside. It's what normal people do!" Christy yelled up as Cole got up off the ground and swept the dirt on his jacket away.

After another minute or so of bickering, Haku tried to reach out and grab her with the vine like he had last time.

But as everyone knew, Yoru wasn't one to fall for the same thing twice. She slashed it with her nails, leaving only tiny cuts that quickly healed in the vine, and then laughed outloud in a scary way when the vine shriveled up and died.

"What the?" Katai murmured as Seika poked the vine as if it would attack him if it was still living.

Haku rolled his eyes and clambered out of the car so he could glare up at Yoru properly. Her reply was to glare back.

"Look Yoru. We cannot leave unless you are safely in this van or you find your own method of transportation. Not choose or I'll be forced to break your back and bring you with us that way." Haku told her, taking his glasses from his eyes to clean them on his shirt as he talked.

"Break my back?" Yoru inquired almost sarcastically. "You would do that to the only real powerful one on this team?"

"No, for he is already dead and one of my closest friends. You on the other hand I can do it to, because you are still living, can heal in an hour afterwards, and are getting on my nerves. Now either get in this van or stay here, I don't care what you do, but we're leaving in two minutes and if you are still up there I will officially kill you. Again."

Yoru snorted, but finally jumped off the back of the van with a scowl.

"I ain't doing this for you Fox Boy. I just don't feel like beating you to a pulp right now is all. I'll follow this contraption on foot. If you have anything against that, then _I _will break _your _back. Got that?" She snarled, looking every bit as dangerous as she was.

"Very clearly." Was all Haku said before turning and retreating back into the van. Cole and Christy, shrugging to each other, did the same.

"Hey Haku, you sure she can keep up with the van?" Cole asked. "She is just a girl after all."

"Don't say that to her face or she'll rip yours off and eat it right in front of you. She takes a lot of pride in the fact that she's a demon." Seika informed as the girls fought a short "touch" war in the back seat, in which Haku grimaced and clung close to the window so as to prevent from being hit. Haku, although trying to keep from getting hit, had translated Seika's remark.

"Yeah, she is Hiei's daughter after all. He was always extremely fast in _everything._" Katai informed, pulling out a candy bar she had bought from a small store in the lobby that morning. She broke it in half and gave a piece to Seika, whom was hungrily eyeing it and his breakfast at the same time, unsure what to eat first.

Cole's statement was followed by a kick in the face at the 'girl' statement, in which had come from Christy's foot.

"Really? I want to see this." She acknowledged after Cole glared at her and rubbed at the red foot mark on his cheek.

"Yeah, and I want to see you thrown out the window." He mumbled, as he put the van in reverse and backed out. Yoru waited from them to drive out, and then jumped off of the third story of the parking lot down onto the sidewalk below. She waited quietly for the van to show up, and when it did, she began to avidly follow it as it took to the Expressway and made it's way at seventy towards Harlingen. It was a good forty or so minutes before they even got there, and both Cole and Christy continued to look out their window to find a thin black blur following them around from behind in a neat line.

"Dude. She is fast." Cole murmured as he exited the express way and took a few roads towards the rodeo. "I didn't think she could have so much endurance for it too."

"We girls have plenty of endurance. I can't believe you can be so Sexist." Christy glared as she sanded at her nails with a file. Her feet were propped up on the dash board in a most unusual way, in which her knees came up to her face and her hands rested on them.

"Really? If that's the case then you must have gotten the short end of that stick. I can't even get you to go out for a jog unless it's a couple of steps out the door."

The slap that hit Cole's cheek was loud enough to wake up the girls, who had been snoozing in the back.

The slap was followed by a punch.

"Ow!" Cole mumbled, as both Christy and Katai dusted off their hands.

"That's for saying that about me!" Christy murmured, growling.

"And the punch is for being Sexist you moron!" Katai quipped, looking a little aggravated.

"Wait a minute? Haku didn't translate that! How did you understand that!" Seika growled in aggravation.

"Oh, I can only understand a few words in English." Katai answered as if it were obvious.

Seika's eye twitched. "What words do you know?"  
"Sexist and endurance. Besides, Christy looked mad so I figured it was okay to punch him."  
Seika slapped his forehead. Of course Katai would know the only two words that would tick her off! Why couldn't they have been "cat" or "Hello" or something? But no! It had to be sexist and endurance. Yep. Katai was a strange one.

"I apologize for the punch but the slap you somewhat deserved." Haku told Cole simply as they pulled in. Christy became tired of the subject and turned in her seat to ask a question that would change it.

"So, this speed of Yoru's run's in the family?"

Haku nodded. "Yes. Hiei has it, Yoru has it, and Kenya had it. Satou has some, but she doesn't practice it very often."

"I work more on power!" Satou exclaimed in English. "And skill! Speed is just something that comes in handy."  
"It's sad, Satou is only eight and she still knows more on English than you and me combined." Katai mumbled so low no one else could hear. Seika nodded sadly.

"So this Kenya had this same speed?" Christy continued quickly.

Haku nodded. "Yes, but he only used it in fighting. He preferred to run slower so that he could pick up on the vibrations around him. Speed only mingles those up and makes them harder to decipher."

"Kenya could read Vibrations?" Cole inquired as they climbed out of the van.

Haku nodded. "Yes, but it's a long story. One I'll have to tell later. For now, we have some work to do."

"Cole! There you are! We've been waiting for you!" A rather fat man said, a heavy Mexican accent following his words. "Come now! The people are anxious to see their Rodeo star!"

"Um. Okay. See you guys. Christy'll show you around and help you out until I'm finished. See yah!"

"Bye bro!" Christy shouted after him, and he disappeared with the man.

"Who was that?" Seika asked through Haku.

"Oh him, that's Juan Pedro. He's the one that owns this Rodeo. Every time he's in the area he asks for Cole to go and give a show. He likes how Cole performs, and many others do to."

"I'd love to see that!" Katai shouted, looking enthused. "I've never seen a rodeo before!"

"Same here!" Seika announced, and they put up a pair of googely puppy eyes so as to convince Christy to take them.

Instead, Haku stepped in the way and shook his head as Yoru walked towards the entrance.

"We don't have time. Even Yesterday afternoon was a waste. Come. We have a mission, so don't forget it."

Seika and Katai nodded and the group followed Christy. When they got to the entrance though, they found Yoru arguing with a man at the front.

"I don't allow swords in here! Take it off!" The man hollered in a heavy accent.

Yoru's fists clenched as she gave off a truly angry glare.

"I will not take this weapon off unless you want a first class trip to your grave." She snarled back in English, her eyes glowing red.

"Yoru…just take the weapon off. We don't want trouble." Haku tried to convince, but Yoru refused to listen.

"No! I'm taking this sword in there whether you like it or not sissy pants." Her fangs gleamed from beneath her lip and caused the man to fidget, but he still held strong.

"No. You're not coming in here unless you remove that weapon. " He continued.

Yoru reached over and closed her fingers around the hilt of the blade, but before she could rip her sword through his chest, she was slightly shoved out of the way.

"Hello Rafael! How have you been señior?" She inquired, suddenly changing from the moody dark personality to a bubbly blonde in a matter of seconds.

"Ah, señiorita, I have been fine. And you?"

The talked in such a manner for a few moments, before Christy popped the question.

"Oh Rafael, can't you allow her to take it in. I swear she won't hurt anybody." She tried to look innocent and sweet, everything the men liked there.

The man scratched his hairy chin, and shook his head.

"Nope señiorita, it's a no can do situation. She has to leave it here."

"Oh please!"

"No."

"Please sir. She won't harm anyone." Haku tried to reason.

"No. My decision is final."

"I know! How about we show you that this sword can't hurt anybody! Will you let it in then!"

"If you can show me, then yes señiorita, I can."

"Alright!" Christy bubbled to him, turning to Yoru. "Show him that prop on your hip!"

Yoru gave her a glare as the man scratched his head.

"Prop?"

"Why yes señior. No one caries a real sword these days. Come now Yoru, show him that prop."

Yoru sighed, feeling foolish, but finally pulled out he sword.

Everyone almost gasped. What sword? There was no sword there.

Everything from the hilt down had vanished, and if Yoru was surprised, she concealed it well.

"Well I'll be. It is just a prop. Well, sorry to have kept you señiorita. Go right ahead."

"Thank you señior. You are very kind." Christy told him sweetly as she and the rest of the group entered.

"Yoru! What happened to the blade?" Katai asked in Japanese.

Yoru glared to reveal that she didn't know either.

"I erased it from his vision." Christy mumbled out quietly.

The group stared at her.

"You can speak Japanese?" Seika inquired, blinking while the girls spent their time taking pictures with Satou's camera.

"Yep. Sorry I didn't tell you before. You see, while my brother practices for these Rodeos, I have to be the smart one and learn the languages. I don't know too many right now, but I'm working on it. You see, I have to talk to Intelligence from Spirit World, and many times they speak different languages."  
"Why would you need to speak different languages? What Intelligence?" Katai inquired, scratching her forehead. She was beginning to get confused already.

"Well you see, we told you before that we don't get very menacing demons here right?"

They all nodded.

"Well, because of that, we help out other detectives around the world when we can, so that they can abolish theirs."

Everyone nodded again in understanding. Intelligence had to be Koenma. It sounded like something he would name himself to try to make himself look more official. Then when he wasn't Intelligence he was the actual Koenma that talked to everyone.

"I still want to know one thing." Seika grumbled as Christy led the way. "Why didn't you tell us?"

Christy gave off a big happy-go-lucky smile right then. Once everyone was afraid of the answer she might give, she answered him.

"I was having too much fun watching you trying to translate with us."

They all gave her a look like they were ready to murder. She waved her hands to try to put off their feelings, and to distract them, pointed towards a large crowded ring.

"That's where Cole is. I don't think it should be too bad to take a peak, would it Haku?"

Haku sighed. "Yes it would. I'd love to see the show too, but we have business to attend to. Everyone is still here on the grounds, so we must check around here. Check to see if everyone's watches are in order."

Everyone nodded and checked, even Satou and Tsuki who had been given theirs a few days ago.

Once they were sure the Zodiac locater was working, they began to search. Seika, Katai, and Haku would be off on their own. Yoru had already disappeared by the time they went looking for her, so they figured she had already started searching for the Zodiac person. Christy would go with Satou and Tsuki to ensure they kept safe and didn't get lost, but it wasn't to much use. Both girls were very well trained in their determination to be good detectives, so anything less than an A class would be child's play to them.

In any case, the group split up. Haku left to investigate the West area of the place, Seika had the South, Katai the North, and Christy and the others the East.

But, as was natural to Seika and Katai, they sort of snuck away from their mission and disappeared towards the Rodeo arena, where people were beginning to gather. Within a few minutes, most of the people at the park were there and the show man, Juan Pedro himself, stepped out.

"Ah! Ladies and Gentleman! Mijitos and Mijitas! I've quite a show for you today! The ever famed Rodeo King is here to give you a show you are sure to not forget! He is the famed Warrior of Horses and Killer of Bulls! I give you Cole Williams!" He said everything in a heavy accent, and a moment later, Cole, riding on a beautiful coal black mare, rode out into the ring, a black cowboy hat propped on his head along with this very decorated blue shirt and pants, and black boots with spurs on them.

He took his hat off and threw it around in the air, as most of the crowd cheered for him.

"And Cole is to go against a dangerous feat today everyone!" Juan continued. "He has the notorious bull Loco Siento to go against! Quite a feat!" Again the crowd cheered, and Seika and Katai found themselves seats and sat to watch. Of course, they made sure to check their watches for any signs of the Zodiac warrior, but there were none.

They watched as Cole road back to where he had come from, and after a few minutes a bell rang, in which a rather large black bull came charging into the arena, Cole on his back. Cole held onto the a collar around the bulls neck, and with one hand on his hat to keep it from blowing away, he rode it for quite sometime, until the bull knocked him off and sent him flying. Of course, just to get the crowd riled, he back flipped in the air and landed on his feet, running towards the side where a man was waiting for him with a lasso.

He took it, and began twirling it in the air in the middle of the ring, with such a grace that it almost didn't look like him.

After another few minutes, he tossed the rope and caught the bulls head in a tight grip, before, he pulled it towards him. This wasn't an easy feet. A bull like Loco could pull a good five hundred pounds behind him if he found it necessary, and Cole was only a hundred and sixty at most. But his strength proved him powerful enough, and he ended up with the bulls head right beneath his boot, in which it still struggled, but could not move for the hold Cole kept on him with the lasso.

The crowd cheered wildly, and after waving, and bowing with his hat in the air, Cole left the arena to reappear a while later on horse back with three calves running amuck in the arena. He caught them all with the same piece of rope, and once caught, waved again and left, not to return.

The entire time, Seika and Katai had yet to even get a signal from their watches, and with a sigh, they left the crowd to meet with the others in the main square of the place.

Haku was waiting for them.

"I gather you went to see the show anyway?" He asked as they arrived.

"No!" They said at the same time, rather guiltily, and Haku shook his head.

"If I didn't know you better I would almost think you were frauds. I already knew you would go, which is why I took the liberty of checking all four areas."

"All four?" Katai inquired as Christy and the girls showed up, the girls looking very excited.

"I knew they would go to." Haku mumbled, pointing.

Both Satou and Tsuki talked vividly of the show they had just seen.

Christy rubbed the back of her head, knowing she had been caught. "Well they asked to go, and I couldn't very well turn 'um down." She smiled.

It was about then that Cole walked in, wearing his casual wear again.

"So. Find anything?" He asked, and Haku shook his head.

"Not a sign. These watches haven't picked anything up. I have a feeling they are malfunctioning again."

"Malfunctioning?" Seika asked. "What do you mean?"

"Yesterday afternoon Koenma sent me a message saying that the watches weren't working because the program they had installed for finding the Zodiac pieces was malfunctioning. But it was repaired again within two minutes of the message. I wonder if it is down again."

They all shrugged, and Seika shook his head. At this rate, they weren't going to _find _all of the Zodiac puzzle pieces. He sighed.

He hoped Kenya was doing better than them at the moment.

He hoped he was alright, and that this new Lord what's-his-face wasn't doing anything torturous to him.

Seika glanced up at the sky, hoping that maybe Kenya would be floating up there somewhere, watching them for the moment, and that he wasn't trapped up anywhere where he couldn't roam free. But he knew it wasn't true. Kenya was trapped with this Dark Lord, and if they didn't hurry, the wouldn't be able to save him.

But how would they find the Zodiac pieces.

He looked back at the ground and suddenly, out of nowhere, a man with a wallet in his hand crashed into Seika's chest and knocked him clear off his feet. As Seika hit the ground, his line of vision faded, and was instead replaced by that same woman in white that had been in his dream that night before. She smiled at him, her purple eyes mimicking that of a purple sunset, and pointed into the distance. There, one of the figures like he had seen tattooed into the ground in his dream had risen into the air. It was of a Rooster standing on one foot, with a large tornado dancing around him, and the writing along the outer rim was of the same mystical handwriting that had been on his puzzle piece.

"The Rooster? He's here?" Seika whispered, and the woman in white nodded.

He awoke a few minutes after falling and sat up. Something in his mind was pulling him a certain direction, and even though everyone was asking him questions on whether he was alright or not, he stood up and began to walk. The group followed him, and even though they continued to ask questions, he refused to answer.

He knew where the piece was! He just had to follow his instincts!

Seika led them down the main street of the place, and towards a small shop set up with Country ornaments. It was right before a little shack, and an old woman in the front looked him over as if he were something interesting.

"Ma'am." Seika began, and she quickly looked him in the eye inquisitively.

Everyone else quieted. Seika was speaking English! But he didn't know English! Did he? "Is there someone in that shack?" He inquired.

The Old woman nodded.

"Si señior. My son."

"Does your son have any gifts? Anything out of the ordinary?" He inquired.

The woman nodded again.

"Si. He made everything hanging here for sale. He's very good at creating beautiful things señior."

"May I speak with him?"

The woman nodded and disappeared into the hut. A moment later, a young man of about twelve or thirteen stepped out, a worried look on his face.

"I've done nothing to attract attention. What do you want?" He asked in a perfect English, very little accent in his voice.

"We've come to ask about something. Would you mind if we came into your hut. It will only take a moment."  
"No sir. Excuse me for saying this, but we don't trust many people." He said. Katai noticed that there was a thin mustache growing on the kids face, but he wasn't even close to being an adult yet!

"Fine then. Can we talk to you out here?"

"Si. What do you want?"

Seika sighed. Now that he had found the boy, how was he supposed to pull out the piece?

"There is something in your body that we need. Can we have it?"  
"What are you talking about? I don't have anything in my body but organs and the like. Whatever you need you can find somewhere else."

The boy turned to leave, but Seika reached out and gripped his shoulder, maybe a little too tightly for comfort.

The boy turned back around and glared, almost ready for a fight.

"You touching me señior? I don't like being touched."

"Look. Just listen kid." Seika said, but suddenly he had a feeling he knew what to do. "Give us a minute. I swear it will be painless and then you can go back to what you are doing in a moment."  
"What will you do?" the boy asked.

Seika answered this by reaching into his back pocket and pulling out the puzzle piece that had come out of his own body.

"Something like this is inside of you. We need it in order to help one of our friends. Sit still and we'll pull it out."  
"What are you talking about man? Are you crazy!" But he didn't even get to finish the statement before Seika had taken the piece and tapped his chest with it three times. Then he lifted his other hand, and another puzzle piece appeared with very little light to show where it had come from.

"Thank you for your help. We'll be on our way now." Seika told him, and with his group in wide eyed shock, he left, leaving the boy and his mother stunned with surprise.

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Catse: There, what do you think? Please review. Like I said, I tried to add some of the culture around here into the story to give it authenticity, and I think it came out pretty well. Betcha thought it was one of the Detectives of Texas that had the Zodiac peice right? 


	10. A Puzzle Peice Found

Catse: Okay, I updated! Finally! Whew, and only two days late! Not five like last time. Well, hope you enjoy this chapter. Got to go, Ja Ne for now!

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Disclaimer: See chappie one...

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"Seika! Wait up will yah! We don't walk in Super Speed Mode!" Katai shouted as she caught Seika's shoulder in a tight grip. The group was struggling to keep up, as Seika had been walking so fast a path of dust followed him. 

He finally stopped and turned around, revealing the two pieces in his hands.

"I don't know how I did it…" He confessed a moment later, staring at the puzzle pieces. "I don't know how I knew…"

"But you found it didn't you?" Katai shouted back, and Seika nodded, with Cole and Christy stepping up to have their own looks at the pieces.

"So those are the pieces you guys were looking for? They don't look like much." Cole commented as he took one from Seika's hand to have a look at it. Christy took the other one and did the same thing.

"Yeah. But it was strange…That kid spoke Japanese. I didn't think anyone here did other than Christy." Seika commented, but he quickly stopped and stared at Cole.

When they asked him what was wrong he inquired if Cole could speak Japanese too.

"No man. That's not my thing." Cole commented back, handing Seika his puzzle piece again. "Only Christy speaks it. I only do the fighting and the Rodeos."  
"But I understand you! And you understood me!"

He was right. He was speaking directly to Cole and they could understand each other.

"That is quite strange." Haku commented a moment later. "You spoke English to the boy too. You don't realize it?"

Seika shook his head in answer. "Nope. I had no idea."

"Hm…" Haku mumbled, one hand on his chin as he thought. "That's very peculiar. Tell me, did something tell you where the piece was? Was there a sign of some sort?"  
"Yeah. This lady from my dream pointed me in the right direction. And then when I went, she told me there was somebody at that hut that had what we needed."

"A Lady? From a dream? Please, explain this dream."

Seika nodded and complied. Once he was finished with the dream and the appearance of the woman, Haku was silent.

He tried to evaluate everything he knew of the pieces already, and the mystery behind them, but nothing could tell him who the woman was or why she was helping them. He decided that on their trip to Ireland, he would do a little research on it.

"Weird…Hey! Can we try some of that Rodeo stuff?" Katai shouted, looking similar to a young girl who's had candy waved in her face.

"Yeah! Can we!" Seika yelled, seeming to have forgotten his worries of earlier for something more interesting.

"Um…sure I guess." Cole said a little squeamishly after Haku translated what Katai had said. Although everyone else seemed to know a little English, she was still on the far end. "But I don't know. Some of the bulls can be rather feisty. And they don't like riders they don't know."

"Aw! It'll be okay! We're detectives like you. We can handle anything." Katai commented once Seika told her what Cole had said.

After a few more translations from Japanese to English and vise-versa, Cole was pulling out the bull known as Loco Siento, whom wasn't at all happy about being brought out for something other than a show.

Since Katai had asked first, she was the first one situated on the bull, and after a good five seconds, she was bucked off.

"The hell! How the hell did that happen!" She shouted, growling at the bull. Loco replied by blowing a thick steam of hot air from his nose and marching away like he was too good to be ridden by someone like her.

"Hey! Get back here you deranged animal!" She shouted, leaping back on the bull's back. Another few seconds later and her face was in the ground. "Ow…" She mumbled, standing up. She rubbed her back and glared at Loco. "You really are a deranged animal."

"Hey! That's okay Katai! Ladies aren't always expected to hold on tightly to something! Men on the other hand are!" Seika commented with a smile. Everyone there that knew Japanese heard him, and broke into laughter a moment later.

Katai glared at him and walked out of the arena, a look on her face that said she was disgusted.

"The way you men talk about yourselves is so disgusting…" She commented, and Christy gave her a thumbs up. "I agree! Men shouldn't talk about _that _in front of ladies. Come on, you and me will talk about clean matters, alright!"

Katai nodded and the girls disappeared off to the side of the fencing of the arena to chat about who knew what. To say the least, Seika and Haku hadn't known Katai could actually get along with ladies.

"But she is changing a little bit. Two years ago she would have shunned the fact that women actually wear dresses. Now she's beginning to look at skirts as if they might have a style to them." Haku commented, as Cole asked Seika if he wanted to try.

Of course, being the person he was, Seika agreed, and was no longer on the bull than he was off again. And, of course, he had to get on it another two or three times to prove he had no grip to him at all.

"You're sad." Christy commented to him as he came back rubbing his rear and his head.

"Not my fault that bull has society issues." Seika said back, growling. "I have no idea who could possibly ride that giant chunk of beef, but it isn't anyone human."

"Then I guess you're saying your little sister is a little demon right?" Cole spoke up, and instantly the entire group turned around to find little Tsuki on Loco's back, not holding onto the fur in any way particularly, but just riding. And the bull was going along in a slow gallop as if he were a pony giving her a ride.

"I don't believe this." Seika growled, and he immediately marched up to get Tsuki off of the bulls back.

But Loco Siento wouldn't have that. As soon as Seika was anywhere within distance he snapped and even reared to hit him, in which it took a few words from Cole and a snatching of the nose to calm him down. Cole truly was good with livestock, and had a talent for the rodeo that these Japanese warriors did not. It was just a gift of his.

"Um…guys. I think we have trouble." They heard Christy shout, and in an instant, the group knew why.

There were several beasts running amuck around them, some with wings that were airborne, and others like demonic versions of the bulls and horses here. One in particular, that they thought to be the leader, had a pair of ram horns on its large forehead, and a pair of large bat wings that extended out to the length of it's entire body.

It reared up its front legs and ran through the detectives for an attack, but their excellent practice allowed them to swoop out of the way.

Katai smiled with a glitter in her eye. "Now this is what I'm talkin' about. Bulls I can kill." She whispered, slipping her gloves out of her pockets and placing them meekly over her hands.

Haku nodded and pulled from his free hand a set of thorned daggers that glistened with small lilies on their ends. Not to say lilies had thorns, but Haku's version did.

Seika, as he found, was missing his staff, which was still in Cole's van, and that was a good distance away. He'd have to fight with sheer ability, and he smiled when he notice that one of the bars on the fence was rather weak looking in the ends.

"Ah-ha…" He whispered, leaping in just as a demon tried to attack his back. He kicked the bar out of place and then into the air where he caught it and proceeded to slash through the demons with it's rusty ends.

Satou and Tsuki, although only eight, were also prepared for a fight. Although they hadn't really taken on a weapon to master, Satou used a short dagger as her usual weapon, and Tsuki used a simple version of a YoYo that she could carry with her rather easily. They too had a rather easy time with the demons, especially with Christy and Cole's help. They lashed out with a combination of actual hand to hand combat and bullet sprays. The gun play came from Cole of course. The melee attacks were from Christy, in which she had no real weapon in mind. She just kicked ass. Throughout most of it, the demons were easy, and within two or three minutes, everything there except for the leader was annihilated. The leader on the other hand was no so easy.

He could not be hit because he could somehow see the blow coming before the person even landed it. Everyone tried, even the detectives of Texas. But none of them could actually land a blow to the monster. Until a horse came riding in to leave a black dot on the creatures back.

That same black dot killed the leader and left it so poisoned that gas came out of it's eye sockets and it keeled over.

After a little close inspection, they found Yoru with a sort of happy grin on her face, and the creature as nothing more than a mere stain on the ground do to evaporation.

"Yoru?" Seika inquired, looking rather confused. She looked very happy…not an expression that fit.

Yoru stood up, and upon finding the crowd looking at her, frowned and glared again.

"I'm surprised at how weak you are that you couldn't take out a simple mutant." She growled so as to cover up for her behavior earlier. The horse she had ridden, in which Cole called Moonlight, was the very same mare Cole had come out on on the Rodeo. The fact that Yoru road her confused him greatly, because he stated later, that that horse allowed no one on her back except him, and only him.

When he ran up to the mare, she softly nudged him with her nose, revealing that she was not harmed or forced into anything she hadn't wanted to do.

"What did you do to Moonlight?" Cole inquired as the horse huffed and stamped. Yoru turned her head only slightly, with a look of true malice, and glared.

"I did nothing. Your damn horse wanted me here. I could have run but that goddamned beast picked me up and dragged me here."

Cole glared back and shook his head. He knew that Yoru was lying. Moonlight didn't do that, and besides, she ran faster than this horse any day. But then why was she riding Moonlight? Unless…

Haku glanced around at their surroundings. All of the demons they had killed were vanishing into a mist, leaving little stains on the ground to show that they had been there.

This was good, because the people wouldn't become frightened because of the odd creatures there.

But that left another question. Where were the people?

"They ran off scared. We'll handle them later." Christy answered Haku without hearing his question. "They thought it was the chubiquabra here with a few friends, the very beast of the Mexican legends."

Haku gave a little smile, knowing the legend of that beast. It was an alien like creature that supposedly ate the livestock of Mexico, leaving dead carcasses and frightened animals in it's wake. He figured it was probably a run off demon over there, more powerful that the little ones, but two weak to handle the big ones, so he stayed hidden and ate the flesh of the animals so he could survive.

"So what happens now?" Katai asked, looking around. "We're pretty much finished here."

"Yeah, but I have a bad feeling about these demons." Seika added, tossing his railing to the side, now that he was done with it. "The whole time we're here, we rarely see a demon. Then suddenly an entire flock attacks us, right after we get the puzzle piece."

"Yes. I believe I know what you're getting at Seika. Someone is following us, and testing us. I have a feeling the Dark Lord is trying to see how powerful we are, while not revealing his own strengths to us as he does so. That demon that Yoru killed near the van Yesterday was probably a spy of his." Haku agreed.

Cole nodded. "Yeah, the one at the Airport also seemed suspicious. I think this new Lord is trying to pick up on what he can, little by little. If I'm right, this means he isn't as stupidly powerful as the others."

"So he's sticking to the shadows to watch us. Clever." Christy shook her head and folded her arms.

"And not only that, but we have what he considered his secret weapon. Goth girl there." Seika finished, staring at the ground.

"Well, there is one thing for certain. We know he is keeping his eye on us, but that is all the better. Perhaps the more he sees us gain, the more desperate he will become. If I'm correct, he's the type of warrior that will try to convince our own leader to attack us, and then, just to get out, Kenya would listen. Then he'd be in for it!" Katai shouted gleefully, punching the ground as if to decide that that might actually happen.

The others stared at her strangely for getting so excited over something that probably wouldn't happen.

"I'm am sorry." Haku said. "But we also must be going. Two weeks is not much time and we've spent two days here. We cannot waste another moment. I'll contact Mom and tell her to arrange a flight to Ireland. We have no more time to loose."

"Right." Seika added. "I'll go collect the girls. Hey Cole, can you give us a ride back to the hotel?"

Cole nodded. "'Course. We treat our visitors here with the utmost respect. It's the Texan way!"

"Right. You're only treating them with respect because you know I'll kick your ass if you don't." Christy mumbled to him, and Cole turned with a glare.

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am NOT!"

"ARE TOO!"

"Yep. They're twins." Katai growled in boredom as Seika came back with Satou holding his pants on the left and Tsuki holding his pants on the right.

Both girls giggled at the fighting before them, and Satou had to pull out her camera and take a picture. Of course, no one realized she had brought the camera with her, and even less realized that she had gotten a picture of each of them trying to stay on the bulls, getting pictures of them when the fell off for memory's sake.

"Well…I guess that's about it. Should we pile into the van?"  
"Yep." Cole agreed. And the group left for the van and drove back to the apartment.

It only took them a few minutes to gather together their luggage and for Haku to give his mother a call, and then they were at the Airport again, getting their tickets from the front desk.

Of course, Cole and Christy promised them that the next time, should they come around, they'd give them a grand tour of the place, and show them what Texas really was. The group promised they'd return, next time with a living breathing Kenya, and then boarded the plane. The flight attendant there didn't give them any trouble, and got them on the plane safe and sound.

They waved goodbye as they flew out, and Satou took one last picture of the brother and sister standing together before they were too far out of range to do so.

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Catse: Okay well, did you like the chapter? I thought it cut off a bit too quickly, but it took me three days to write this up. I had trouble trying to figure out where I wanted to go with it. But well, I've updated now! And now they're off to Ireland. If anyone knows the country and the customs there, please tell me so I can get a headsup on the research! Oh, and for those of you that wanted to see the pictures of the characters I drew, but either I didn't send it to you or the picture wouldn't work for you, I've now got them on a website along with a few others of my pictures. Just click on the link in my bio! Okay? Thanks! Ja Ne! 


	11. Who's this?

Catse: Yay! An update! Can you believe it! Whew! Well, before I get onto the story, I have a few things to say. I'm sorry this update is completely two weeks late (and three days) but I have a good excuse. You see, I've been looking for a job lately, and I ended up with one that lasted an entire week, not only that, but last week, I had the entire family over bugging me for soda and pocky and well, yeah, you get the picture. I really hate family visits. Schedules are tossed out the window (not like mine was doing very well in the first place) and then everybody has to grab your cheeks and tell you how big you've grown and you have to tell them that yes, I look in the mirror every day and see that myself. So, yeah. I have a very good excuse. Well, anyways, here's the update, and thank you to all reviewers and all that gave me offers of help! I am very thankful to all of you and without you, I wouldn't have the gall to go on with this story! Thank you everyone! Ja Ne for now!

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Disclaimer: See chappie one...

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The plane landed in Ireland a few hours later. The The plane landed in Ireland a few hours later. The group stumbled out, all half asleep from the trip, and hoping that they wouldn't have to take the plane so often anymore. They already knew they would, and held the deepest promises that they would hate planes in the future. 

None the less, the group was prepared to find the next piece to the puzzle there where ever it was hidden. Koenma had told them that Ireland had a piece of the puzzle, but in who or exactly where they had no idea.

"So Haku." Seika yawned, glancing around. "We supposed to wait on someone here?"  
"No." Haku answered, glancing around. "But we need to find a ride towards the Silverbirch in Tyrone. It's a three star hotel my mother got us arrangements at."

"It nice?" Seika inquired, but Katai interrupted him with a rather large yawn.

"Who cares? As long as it has a soft bed and plenty of food, then we're good. Come on, I think I see a Taxi." She growled, lugging her bags behind her. Seika shrugged and followed with Haku on his right, and Tsuki and Satou walking on his left. Yoru followed in behind, noticing just for an instance a black crow that seemed very intent on watching them.

'_So…the Dark Lord knows where we are…? We better be prepared then. I'm not about to let that Dark Lord get in the way of my plans…even though we did have a little agreement…'_ Yoru thought to herself quietly as she followed the group. They did manage to find a Taxi, but even then they had to get two because of the size of the group that was traveling, so about thirty minutes later, they arrived at the Hotel ready to check in. Because of how simple the hotel was, they were paired off the same way as the last hotel, and given a room to each pair. Of course, Yoru, being who she was, demanded that she be allowed to sleep outside, because she didn't like being so damn close to everyone and everything she always said.

Once everything was arranged and rooms had been given, everyone gathered at the lounge downstairs for a little dinner together from the restaurant there.

Haku did the orders, because even though the group was beginning to understand English, the Irish English was a little hard to understand. Yoru was missing from their group of course, and none of them wondered where she was. Knowing her, she was probably off stealing some man's dog for her supper, and because of her lack of trust, she didn't eat anything anyone gave her unless she got it herself and cooked it herself. But in any case, no one was sad at her absence.

Once the food had arrived and everyone had eaten and drunken their fill, Haku wiped his mouth and proposed they decide how to search.

"Ireland doesn't have any Spirit Detectives here because the people around here usually take care of such problems themselves. So, we're pretty much on our own here. Koenma is very certain that the puzzle piece is somewhere here, in Tyrone, but we have to locate it and retrieve it. Seika, do you think you can try to locate it the same way you did in Texas?" Haku inquired. Seika shrugged and tried for a moment, closing his eyes so as to concentrate. He ended up with nothing, so the group figured he had to be somewhere close to the puzzle piece in order to find it.

"Well, what do we know about this place?" Katai inquired, leaning back in her chair. "I mean, we've already found out that those with the pieces have an extraordinary knack for some certain little thing, such as Seika and his fighting abilities and that kid at the rodeo with his weaving and carving and whatever it was he was doing. So what could be something here that would be of some use?"

Haku thought about it for a moment. He really didn't know. He hadn't really sat down to study Ireland in full, because he never considered he would actually visit.

"Well, I know there are many pubs here where a lot of the people spend their time drinking. Hm…" He continued to thought, but could really not bring anything up on the matter.

"How about we check the pubs first then? If there are a lot of people that stay at them, then perhaps we could have luck in locating our puzzle piece in one. Hell, for all we know the guy or girl could be the bartender with a knack at making entertainment out of pouring beer or somethin' like that." Seika announced.

Haku thought on that too for a moment, and finally nodded.

"Yes. For now that is our best bet. Not only that, but we might hear something about the person with the puzzle from some of the people there."

"Okay! Sounds good to me! How about we get going? I don't feel tired right now and now I'm energized! Come on!" Katai announced, leaping up from the table. Seika nodded and stood up with her, and the two, followed by the two little girls, marched out of the hotel together. Haku shook his head, sighed, and followed suit.

It didn't take them long to find the first pub, and when they entered they nearly wanted to run out again.

There were people singing some old folk song in the bar! And not only that, but they weren't a very good choir, or at least never would be with the display of drunken voices trying to sound good together.

Seika's eyes popped out of his head and he turned around, leaping for the door.

Katai caught him by the back of his shirt and dragged him farther in, muttering something about chickens and how they couldn't fly the coop when scared.

They sat in the bar for a little while at a small rickety table, but after a good thirty minutes where Seika didn't pick up anything, their watches (which they had decided didn't work at all in finding the puzzle pieces) didn't give them any clues about the place, and when no one gave them any information that was useful, they stood and left, heading to the next pub. The same thing happened there, and they ran to the next pub, and then the next.

Finally, at the sixth pub, Katai decided that she would enter first just to see what the inside was like. They had all had their fill of Irish Drinking Songs and loud laughter and spilled beer and the stench it all brought, and considering Katai was the only one that wasn't sick yet, they all agreed she should go in. Unfortuneately, when she went to open the door, someone rather happy opened it before her, and knocked her to the ground in a stupor.

The man stopped, looked down with happy greenish blue eyes, and laughed again, looking very jolly.

"Well now, looky what we got here? You look like someone I used to know you know!" he said in a very heavy accent.

His orange hair was tussled about on his head, with a tiny, strange looking horn sticking out of the middle of it. His ears were pointed outward, like the of a demon, and his arm bands, black pants, slippers, and white muscle t-shirt displayed that he was a hard working trainer in the martial arts.

The group stared at him much the same way he stared back, and then, from behind, a man slightly taller then him followed out, just as cold an expression on his face as Haku usually had.

"Jin, what have you done now?" He inquired just as calmly. He had a thick mat of grayish blue hair that formed a sort of turban on his head with several greenish hairs that stuck out of the right side of his hair line like the claws of a beetle. His eyes were slanted and blue, with only a small angular pentagon of hair to show as brows above his eyes. His clothing involved the ninja shoes, that exposed the heel and toes, dark blue loose pants, and a black top with a piece of cloth draped from one shoulder over to his waist. He crossed his arms and glared at the new detective team, seeming almost to see right through each of them.

"They do look like someone we know, don't they?" The man called Jin stated, and the one with blue hair nodded.

"Yes, although from where I can't remember."  
"Hey guys! What's goin' on! We's about to sing anothah song in heah!" Another voice echoed with a child's laughter. The man with the blue hair stepped out of the way for another man with blue hair, only his was in a Mohawk that ended in two fluffy ponytails. He was much taller than both Jin and the other guy, and wore a jet black leather top with no sleeves that had a white sort of fur lining at the collar, and a chain that ran along one hip of his tight black pants. There was a weird sort of little red band across his nose, and his eyes were tiny and black. "Well, whattaya know? Whatta we got here boys?" He inquired, coming in closer. He stopped with an "Oof" when a little boy, looking about eight or nine pounced on his back. He wore a colorful red and yellow baseball cap that covered his mess of brown hair, and his wide blue eyes looked at them almost innocently and expectantly. Three little red stars lined the part under his right eye, and his outfit was bright red with yellow sleeves, and a small turquoise hand bag that held his yoyos.

"Who you guys talking to?" He asked innocently as Katai stood up and dusted herself off.

"Who the hell are you?" She asked back instead, looking rather angry.

"Ah! Wait, now I remember who yah are! Yah had me wonderin' yah know! Made me thinkin' and thinkin' but now I know! Yah're Yusuke's kid right? Yah'd have to be 'cause he's the only one that talks like that to people he don't know that well." Jin commented, putting his hands behind his head rather happily.

Katai stared at him in surprise for a moment, looking a mixture of confusion and wonder.

"How do you know my Dad?" She inquired, crossing her own arms.

"Ah! So that's where I seen yah! I knew I had to of! They're the new detectives of Japan if I know 'em correctly. Name's Chu. I fought yur Dad in the Tournament. He's quite a fine fighter if I do say so myself!" the man with the blue Mohawk mentioned, as the little boy on his back looked at the group.

"Then that must mean that the rest of you are the team's children right? I am Touya." The one with the blue hair commented, bowing politely.

"I'm Rinku!" the little boy on Chu's back announced, clambering over to see them better. "Nice to meet you!" He held out a tiny hand and the group took it, wondering who's kid the little boy was.

"And I'm Jin! Nice to meet yah! So, whats a team from Japan doin' here at a time like this. Almost couldn't figure yah out!" Jin announced, his fanged smile never leaving.

"What's all that racket?" A deep voice asked from within in the pub. A man with purple hair that came back in a pony tail, and a white top with blue bottom in hakama, stepped out of the pub to stare at them with red eyes. Two of his purple hairs stood up on his forehead, making him look like he had antennae.

"Ah Shishi. You're just in time!" Rinku announced. "It's Yusuke's daughter! See! See! She looks just like him doesn't she?"

"Yusuke's daughter? I didn't know Yusuke had a daughter." Shishi said quietly, looking over the group. "And who are the rest of you?"

"Allow me to make the introductions. I am Haku Minamino, Kurama's son. This is Seika Kuwabara, Katai Urameshi, Tsuki Kuwabara, Satou Nohara, and our other companion, Yoru Nohara is off on her own as of the moment."

"Nohara? Who's that? I don't recognize the name." Chu inquired, folding his arms so as to keep the busy.

Seika looked him straight in the eye and answered him. "It is Hiei's last name sir."

"WHAT?" The small group shouted.

The other group covered their ears to prevent them from getting damaged, and once the other group calmed down, they began to ask questions.

"So Hiei has two children?" Jin inquired, beginning to float in the air. "Whodda known?"

"Actually, Hiei has three children. The third was killed a few days ago." Haku explained.  
"Really? What's his name?" Touya inquired, closing the door to the pub and leaning next to the door.

"Kenya." Seika answered. "Kenya Nohara. He was our leader."

"Is that why you're here?" Came Shishi. "Is there something here you need for you to be so far away from home?"

"Now that you mention it, yes." Katai began, hands behind her head now in comfort. "Have any of you heard of the Zodiac Puzzle?"

"Zodiac Puzzle? What's that? Sounds like some weird incomibob thingy." Jin acknowledged, his hands also behind his back.

"Incomibob?" Seika's eyebrow raised as he asked.

"We've stopped tryin' to make sense out of the words he makes up." Chu replied thoughtfully, the little boy Rinku coming up to stand next to him as he placed his hand on his chin. "Anything he says, we just go with."

"So there is a piece of this 'puzzle' here, and you're hoping to look for it, yes?" Touya inquired, looking as calm as he usually did.

Haku nodded. His blue eyes seemed to glint green as he talked. "Yes. Unfortunately, we know very little about the puzzle and its whereabouts. Perhaps you may help if you've heard anything that strikes interest."

"Nope. Not yet." Shishi answered truthfully.

Touya kept his eyes on Haku as he talked, thinking only to himself and not out loud like his companions.

When the group of demons offered to help and began traveling with the Detective's team, Touya came up next to Haku and walked with him.

"You're a lot like your father." He mumbled as they traveled to the next pub in hope of clues.

"Why do you say that?" Haku's eyes glinted in the frigid night air. He really did have Kurama's wisdom imbedded in his twelve year old body. Touya had to give him that.

Touya had not known Kurama for very long. Heard his legend as Yoko, certainly. But never really gotten to know him. The only time they really had met had been first in the Dark Tournament and then next during the war of the Three Kings, where Yusuke, Mukuro and Yomi had come together in a second Dark Tournament, and he had been called upon by Kurama to serve with Yomi. Of course, that went down the drain the day Yusuke proposed the Dark Tournament remake, so he hadn't really known Kurama that well.

But he could still see, in the eyes of Kurama's child, that same intelligence that made the kid look as if he knew more of what was going on than he let on.

"Your eyes. Kurama's eyes always shined when he knew something the other person didn't. You have that intelligence in your eyes."

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Catse: Sorry to leave you on a cliffy, but I just couldn't think what to write next. Are you suprised? I had tried thinking about a good team to be in Ireland, and for some reason, Jin's face just kept popping up, so I thought I'd put him in here. The reason why he's here, and what they'll do to help will be revealed in the next chapter of this story, so please don't hate me! (hides under computer desk) Ja Ne for now! 


	12. Trouble in Ireland?

Catse: Thank you so much for waiting! Sorry it's a few days late, but please don't criticize. You see, Dragon and Sword Master asked if he could edit it, and I sent it to him, but I accidentally sent my entire story over there. Oh well, thank you Dragon and Sword Master for all your help and for putting up with me! . Now everyone must clap for him! Okay well, here's the update and it's pretty long too. Hope you enjoy! Ja Ne!

* * *

Disclaimer: I think we know this one already...

* * *

Haku smiled. "Thank you for the compliment. I gather you fought my father before?" 

Touya returned the smile and nodded. "Yes. He was a very good opponent. I would have to say he is one of the only few that have ever beaten me in a fight."

"It was during the Dark Tournament, yes? He told me that those were some of his hardest battles as a human."

Touya nodded. "Yes. But I doubt they are difficult for him anymore now that he is the next running in Yomi's stead."

The way it had happened after the Second Dark Tournament, Yusuke had been left as the ruler of his third of the lands, considering his father had died of starvation. Yomi and Mukuro however did not give up their lands after the tournament. From what little Haku had picked up from Kurama's talk of his past, Yomi had won Yusuke in a battle that had lasted a very long time. Four whole days or something to that extent, he wasn't sure how long. But Yomi had learned a lesson from the fight, and had actually decided against fusing the human and demon worlds together. Not only that, but as he did preside over Yusuke and Mukuro's lands now, he decided just to be the ruler and leave them as the sub-rulers. So, just in case anything happened to him, Kurama would take his place, as was the same with Mukuro and Hiei. For Yusuke, if anything happened to him, Katai would take his place no matter if he had a son or not. Yusuke liked having a boy, but he also knew that the eldest with the most experience and the most of his personality would have to take charge of the lands, so, Katai was the best choice. Yujiro, although much like his father, had a strange sort of personality to all three. He was quiet, and not so easily angered as Yusuke or Keiko. Of course, everyone wondered why, considering Yusuke's mother and demon father were not that much different in personality. But Yusuke came up with a good excuse he figured fit. The woman Raizen had fallen in love with was also quiet and not easily angered, so maybe Yujiro got some of his genes from her, even if she was more like the mother of Yusuke's soul than his actual body.

In any case, for Kurama to be chosen as Yomi's heir to the thrown, he would have to have been stronger than his time in the first Dark Tournament.

The group walked together for a while, and finally made their way to a small pub called the Four Fairies. It had no singing inside, to their surprise, so they made their way in and all together sat at a large table.

"So you guys fought our fathers in the Dark Tournament? Awesome!" Seika acknowledged as Haku ordered them all some drinks.

Jin nodded.

"Yep! We fought your fathers only I fought Yusuke and he was quite the fight that he was! Made me need to get stronger and stronger 'til before you knew it I'd have muscles and be woo-wee in the air! But I still ain't as strong as Yusuke! He still is just too strong for me you know!" Jin laughed as the waitress came back with the drinks.

"So who all fought who?" Katai inquired, snatching her drink from the waitress as if she were drowning in thirst.

She guzzled down her soda as they stared.

"She sure can take 'er liquids, can't she?" Chu laughed as he took his beer from the waitress and began to drink his, in much the same fashion.

"About as well as you can." Shishi mumbled. He hadn't ordered a drink, claiming that he had already had too much to drink already.

Touya and Jin took simple cups of tea, and Rinku took a glass of juice.

"Well!" Rinku began after a couple of sips. "I know Touya fought with Kurama, Jin and Chu fought with Yusuke, Shishi fought with that old lady but I can't remember her name…"

"It's Genkai." Shishi corrected. He looked a little angry at the mention of his loss, being that Genkai was old when she beat him, but other than that he said nothing.

"Oh right! Genkai! And I fought with Kuwabara!"

"I gather Hiei didn't fight with any of you?" Seika inquired, leaning back in his seat with a glass of tea.

They looked from one to the other and shook their heads.

"Nope. None of us fought with him."

"Hm…"

"Hey wait a'minute kid. You're Kuwabara's son right?" Chu inquired with a slight slur in his Australian accent.

"Yeah, why?"

"You don't look like 'im. Did yah get your mother's looks?"

Seika shook his head. "Nope. I was adopted by him. Tsuki looks like her mother."

Tsuki and Satou were sitting at another little table next to them, each with their own glasses of juice. Satou had already taken several pictures that evening of Ireland, so her camera was still up on the table. Both girls had yet to say anything to the strangers, choosing to be the shy little ones instead of the open girls they usually were.

"Ah, you mean the one with the blue hair? I gather he married Yukina like we all thought?" Touya inquired, taking a sip.

The entire Detective Team nodded.

"Yeah, that little girl looks just like 'er mother. Still jus' as small and pretty!" Chu mumbled before ordering another glass of Irish brew.

Just then, Jin's ears twitched and he took a look around, as if there was something he had heard that didn't sound right.

"What's up Jin? You look surprised?" Shishi inquired, glancing around. That inquiry got everyone looking around, as Jin finally answered.

"I just heard something like an animal come in but I can't see it!"

"Hey! There you are!" Seika exclaimed, looking down into his lap. A long, slender red neck poked up from behind the table and was stuck in Seika's tea cup, drinking it's fill.

"Finally you showed up Niko!"

"Chirp!" His little spirit beast replied, finally taking his dragon like head out of the cup and setting his cat paws on the table.

"You hungry?"

"Chirp!"

"Okay, what would you like?"

"Don't tell me…" Chu began, but Rinku finished for him.

"Is that a Spirit Beast?"

"Sure is." Katai answered, taking a heavy swig of her second drink, which just arrived.

"So you died?" Rinku inquired. Seika nodded and hoisted the little creature up on his shoulder.

"Yeah, it was about four years ago. Spirit World brought me back to life after I drowned in a river and I started working to help the other guys out. After we beat Shadow, Kuwabara adopted me and I became a real life member of the new Spirit Detective team."

"Wow! A lot can happen in almost thirty years!" Jin exclaimed, looked upwards. "It has been thirty years right?"

"Just about." Touya answered, folding his arms. "How come your spirit beast didn't arrive with you in Ireland."

Seika smiled sadly. "Well, the plane won't allow animals on unless they're in a cage below deck, and Niko doesn't like cages. So, he prefers to fly his own way to where ever we go, finding me when he gets there. He's a very resourceful little animal."

"I can see that."

"You know somethin'? I just got a funny question. If you guys fought our fathers in the Dark Tournament, and that was almost thirty years ago, then why is he still a little boy?"

Katai was referring to Rinku, who sat like an eight or nine year old in his seat.

"Oh him? He's about two hundred years old this lil' guy." Chu answered. The entire table went silent.

"Let me guess? Like's to act innocent and loves getting away with it right?" Katai inquired, crossing her arms. Rinku smiled as Touya, Chu, and Jin all nodded. Shishi merely looked away at the wall.

"So you said you were lookin' for a kind of puzzle piece around here eh?" Jin inquired, his hands holding his ankles as he sat in a sort of Indian Style in the booth seat.

The Detective Team nodded.

"Then where would they usually be?"

"Inside of people." Haku answered, adjusting his glasses. "We've already found the Dragon piece in Seika, and the Rooster piece in Texas. We're trying to find our latest piece here, because Koenma is very adamant about it being here."

"Really, how does the tyke know where they are?" Chu inquired, drinking down his second beer.

"He has an ancient manuscript that gives him clues to where everything is. We've already found out that those that have somewhat rare skills usually have a piece in them. Now it's just a matter of finding them."

"Really? How are you capable of finding them?" Touya inquired.

"Well," Haku began, sighing. "We thought at first that our watches could home in one them, but apparently they aren't working. Seika is our only source of location. For some reason, the Ancient Soul of the Earth is helping him out."

"The Ancient Soul of the Earth!" They all inquired at once, startling both of the girls at the table next to them. Satou and Tsuki should have been used to the surprise yells by this time, but for some reason they were always caught off guard.

"Yes." Haku answered. "I looked into it on our way here. There's a profile on the watches Spirit World gave us that says she was the soul of the Earth until a mortal man stole her power in the shape of a heart. Apparently she is searching for it."

"What do you think it means?" Seika inquired after everyone had calmed down.

"I'm not quite sure, but if I'm correct, we have a few new clues to our puzzle. If a mortal man took her power in the shape of a heart, then it only means that our puzzle must be in the shape of this 'heart', and that in the wrong hands it will cause trouble, so the Soul of the Earth is trying to help us find it so it stays out of the _hands_ of trouble. And because Seika housed one of the pieces, and he's traveling with us, he is the only one she can communicate with and point in the right direction."

The entire group became silent after Haku began talking, and were still silent when he was finished.

"Yep, he's Kurama's kid alright." Chu mumbled and they all nodded except for Shishi and Haku.

"Oh! I just wanted to ask! What are you guys doing here anyways? Vacation?" Seika inquired, leaning back.

"Well, somethin' like that. You see I grew up here and when we had nothing else to do I decided to get everyone to come here so we could train in the mountains around here because they are so very brilliant and stunning and—"

Shishi interrupted Jin just then. "We're here to train and that is all. Vacation is not something I do."

"Me either." Touya agreed. "I came to practice my skills."

"Hsssssss!" The heard Niko snarl.

Seika glanced down at his pet to notice that Niko's claws were out and his red fur stood on end, as if he was spooked.

"What's wrong?"

"That damn animal of yours would make a better meal than anything else." They heard the cold feminine voice say from nearby. She took a step and appeared before them, revealing the thin and angry form of Yoru, back from wherever she had gone.

"So you finally came back?" Katai snarled up, ready for a fight any time.

"Came back, no? I would never 'come back' on my own free will. But considering I have to come with you assholes, I figure I'll do my job and make sure things get done, considering you all are sittin' on your asses have a good time with some more assholes." Katai growled, fists clenched, and actually did go to stand up and argue when Seika reached up and snatched her shirt, pulling her back into her seat.

"Not here." He murmured in her ear as she still continued to growl. She heeded his command, considering he was supposed to be the replacement leader, even though Haku was pretty much taking over the job for him.

Yoru smirked, knowing she had won the battle, until Haku turned his masterfully cold blue eyes on her.

"Have you found anything out?" He inquired, not blinking.

Yoru would never confess in a million years that anything a twelve year old would do would spook her, but when Haku turned his blue eyes at her, he usually did what most mortals and demons alike could not. After all, at eight, he had nearly killed her, and if it wasn't for her Jagan she would have been dead.

Yoru sighed and turned her eyes away to keep from bearing his scrupulous look. "I found out that there's a sheep herder in the mountains here that has a knack with the animals here. You might want to go check it out." She growled, before turning around and leaving.

They were all silent for a moment.

"So that was Hiei's eldest?" Touya inquired, all of them still staring at the door Yoru had passed in and out of.

Haku, Seika, and Katai nodded.

"Yep. She's a Hiei." Jin and Chu said at the same time, before turning and blinking at each other.

"Well, what are we sittin' around for! Let's get goin'!" Katai hollered before leaping up and leaving the pub.

The rest of them nodded and stood, paying for their drinks before leaving.

Considering Yoru hadn't said anything about who the guy was or where in the mountains he could be found, they decided to head back to the Silverbirch and ask the clerk there if he knew anything. While they were there, they could also pick up their weapons, in which Seika never carried his staff in public because it scared people.

While there, the man at the Restaurant heard them ask the clerk if he knew who their mystery man was. When the clerk didn't know, the guy that had overheard them came over, wiping his soapy hands on a dish towel.

"Know 'im? Course I know 'im." The guy acknowledged after the group had asked him. "He's my brother!" The group exchanged glances as the man told them where to find his brother and what his name was.

"His name's Patrick O'Malley. Usually graze's his flock over on the West Area of the Mountain' along the edge of this town. If you're lucky, he's still out there grazin' 'bout now."

The group thanked him and left, taking a simple but long path up to a path between the mountains.

As they were coming through the path, Seika felt a pang as if some force was pulling him a certain direction. His vision faded and the woman in white appeared, pointing towards a direction that led them around the mountain to a clearing where the green grass grew thick and tall. Before her finger appeared another tattoo circle, this time with the impression of a sheep with a thin rod of metal entwined around its wool.

When the image disappeared, Seika began to walk faster, knowing exactly where to go.

"Did you get the vision?" Haku inquired, walking next to him.

Seika gave a curt nod and was soon found running so as to make sure he didn't lose the direction the Soul of the Earth had pointed him too.

Before long they came to a clearing with an old stone wall lining the area and a tree the size of a two story house. An older man, about forty or so sat there with a Shepherds stick, watching his small flock of sheep graze on the grass behind the mountain.

Seika walked up to him. This had to be the next one.

But, as he came up to him, he felt a strong pull, like the wind, trying to tug him a certain direction. He stopped as Haku went to the man and began talking.

"Sir, are you the herder of these sheep?" He asked, and the old man nodded.

"There is something we need from you if you'd be so kind as to stand and let us see if you have it."

The man eyed the group curiously, but none the less stood up.

"Stop." Seika mumbled, turning. The man was almost standing when Seika said this, and he stepped up and pressed Haku out of the way.

"What's your name?"

"Seika, what are you doing?" Katai inquired, looking aggravated. "If he has the piece than why do we need to know his name?"

"I need to know his name." Was the young man's response. "What's your name?"

Seika's voice changed, to where his English had the Irish accent. The man looked Seika straight in the eye and laughed.

"You're good! But I guarantee you won't find the real man with the Zodiac Piece!" He hollered, blowing smelly breath into Seika's face.

Seika glared, pushed the man into sitting on the rock hedge, and glared him in the face.

"That piece is somewhere around here and we need it. Give it to us." He said almost angrily.

The man again laughed, and suddenly his lifeless form hit the ground, his eyes rolling upwards. Blood pooled from his nose and the illusion that had been on him disappeared to reveal his pale white skin and the nats and flies swarming around his face.

Haku kneeled, covering his nose with his wrist.

"Looks like he's been dead for about a day now. Seika, are you certain you sensed the puzzle piece around here?"

Seika nodded, glancing around.

The reason the man was still living, none of them knew, but Seika had a good idea of what was going on.

"Reveal yourself demon! I will not play any games with you!"

In Seika's line of vision, the woman in white appeared, standing along the stone hedge. She looked somewhat hurt, and kneeled on the rock, digging in the dirt.

"It's there?" Seika inquired out loud, before walking to the hedge and digging.

The group watched him go, and Jin and Chu looked at each other and at the same time announced, "It's proven. He's crazy. Now he's talking to stone hedges!"

"Guys! Help me out! Gaia says it's here!" Seika announced, digging in the soil. It was fresh, meaning something had just dug it up.

The rest of the group crowded around Seika and began to dig with their hands. Even Satou and Tsuki helped out.

When their hands found the corners of a small metal box, they pulled it out and opened it.

Inside wasn't the piece they had expected, but a small bottle surrounded by velvet. Inside the bottle, there was a note.

"Patrick O'Mally is dead. The piece resides in his family." The note said.

The group stared at the piece of paper, and glanced around.

"Well we can tell the bugger's family is dead! You didn't need to tell us that!" Chu exclaimed as he stood up.

The group followed suit and Seika shoved the note in Haku's hands.

"What do you think it means?" Katai inquired dusting the dirt off of her pants.

"I don't know about you but this has been one confusin' evenin' if I do say so myself." Jin exclaimed, floating in the air like he did at the pub.

"No kidding." Katai and Chu agreed, glaring at the ground.

"Family?" Haku questioned himself after reading the note over. "What Family?"

"His Family Tree." A man said from behind them. "It was the only other thing living other than himself." The group turned to see the same man from the Restaurant that had told them to come here.

"What do you mean other thing living than himself? Aren't you his brother?" Katai growled, brows knit in frustration.

"No. I am a member of a group Psychics that learned of your travels and your missions. From talks with the ghosts and from what Gaia has given us in imagery, we learned that you were searching for the Zodiac puzzle. I merely pointed you in the right direction the Ghosts of this man's family pointed."

"Okay! Whoa there man! A little more explanation is in order before you ramble on and tell us you are trying to help. For one thing, why the hell are you trying to help us?" Katai hollered, glaring.

The man sighed, adjusted his coat, and sat on the ground in front of the sheep.

"We are Naturists in our own way. We want to protect the Earth and all of her properties. Before, when the ghosts told us that one had passed away that should not have, we began to look into the circumstances and tried to find that particular ghost. When we did find him, he could not tell us very much, but only that he was trapped and was looking for a way to communicate with his friends. We asked Gaia through telepathy, and she showed us your profiles, where you were, and where you were headed, and your reasons."

"Wait! You've spoken to Kenya?" Seika interrupted, sitting down in front of the man.

"Yes." The man agreed, using a completely fluent Japanese voice. "Kenya Nohara his name is right? Yeah, he's stuck in a sort to glass containment area, in a castle somewhere in the Demon World. As for who has him and why he can't escape, we don't know. In addition, before I forget and you ask the question, I knew this man had the piece of the Zodiac before you said anything. His soul shows the color of silver, the very color of the Sheep. We tried to protect him, me and my other three companions, but this Demon Lord that is after you got to him first. Instead, because we couldn't get the pieces out of his body, we removed his spirit and placed it in that tree, there. You see, he was an orphan, with no family to speak of except for that tree and these sheep. They were all that was left to him of his real family. The man was already practically dead by the time we got here."

"So you mean demons knew he had it to?" Katai growled, her face beginning to twist into a heavy anger.

"Yes. I do not know how they are tracking the pieces, but apparently, they can only pin point the area. They can't find the person with them. The one that killed that man was looking for the piece, but by then we had already removed it and placed it in that tree."

"Okay, wait a minute. So you're saying that you took the soul out of the man before the demons even found him? Then how could he have been dead before you got there?"

Seika interrupted.

"He was old and dying of a disease. He wasn't going to live much longer. Now give me time to fully explain myself—"

"No time chief!" Katai shouted, leaping to her feet. "We got company."

The group glanced up at a display of multiple flying demons and several different land creatures clawing their way over the mountain. One demon housed a crow on his horn, before the tiny creature leapt up and disappeared into the heavy storm clouds that were beginning to appear.

"Let's do this." Seika mumbled, cracking his knuckles. "We've got questions and they better have answers."

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Catse: Okay well, tell me what you think! I bet none of you saw this coming right? Neither did I. My hands kind of went on their own here. Oh well, I'll update as soon as I can. Ja Ne! 


	13. Time for France!

Catse: Okay, here's the update! Again, sorries that it's late, but at least I'm trying to keep up. Well, I have to go, so enjoy the chapter. Ja Ne!

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Disclaimer: See chapter one...

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The demons were not even much of a challenge, especially considering they had the other ninja group with them, including Chu, Rinku, Touya, Jin, and Shishi. Hell, not even one of the demons could make a scratch on the group, and Yoru did not even need to jump in and help. They were that easy. 

Unfortunately, none of the demons they tried asking knew anything about how to find the piece or what had happened to the man. They only had one mission and that was to kill the team searching for the pieces and get what few pieces they had.

After the destruction of the last demon, Haku stepped away and walked towards the tree. Burned into the bark was an age old insignia belonging to no one but the Irish family of O'Malley's, and behind it, had to be the piece.

Seika sighed and walked up to the tree, placing his hand up and over the bark. He pressed his energy into his hands, tapped the tree three times, and the entire thing began to glow. In an instant, the puzzle piece came out and landed in his hand, looking almost exactly like the Rooster and Dragon pieces. Only, the markings over the front were more of an Irish/Celt handwriting, looking much like a Greek hand. Seika turned the piece over in his hand, before handing it to Haku whom also looked it over. They had found another piece, and now it was question time.

"Okay, now you can explain yourself." Katai mumbled, seating herself down on the old wall near the tree.

"Yeah, like straighten out the entire death deal and what the hell is going on." Seika agreed, sitting next to her. He was rubbing his eyes, proving he was tired.

The man sighed and sat down.

"All right, let me start out with what you do know. The demons are beginning to hunt after those Zodiac pieces, and before long, if you continue to collect; they will come to get them from you and you will have to be prepared. Now, Gaia is on your side. She wants to get her power back, but she also wants to keep it out of the hands of the Dark Lord. However, she can only converse with those that have strong Psychic abilities, and those that have had the Zodiac pieces within them. Therefore, only you will have the ability to search out the pieces. I have no idea how the Dark Lord is managing to pinpoint where the pieces are, but know that you will have trouble from here on out the entire way of your journey. As for us knowing where the pieces had been, Gaia showed us. Because her power was taken, she can't speak, so you probably won't hear a word out of her mouth until her power is returned, so you'll have to deal with a weird game of charades the entire time."

"What about Kenya? You said you had seen him." Katai announced as Satou and Tsuki sat down and began petting the sheep. Jin floated in the air near the tree, while Chu, Touya, and Shishi sat along the wall on the opposite side, and Rinku ran around with the sheep, trying to jump on them for a ride or something to that extent.

"Yes. The Dark Lord apparently has his spirit captured and kept in the Castle in Demon World. He has tried to escape, but he cannot for some reason. He did tell me to tell you that the Dark Lord is really a man by the name of Sifirus."

"Is he a demon?" Katai inquired.

The man shook his head. "No. Kenya told me he thought that Sifirus was very human. No demon feature to him."

"Yet he's so smart!" Seika acknowledged. They were facing a human in Demon World, how the hell was that possible? Unless the human was like Sensui, whom Yusuke had fought so many years ago, then how could he possibly have so much under his consent? Seika was jarred out of his thoughts when Haku began to ask questions.

"So I was right? Gaia is the one helping us after all. If all you say is true, why was the man here still alive?" The group happened to glance at the man at the same time; to find out was that his bones were the only things left. There was not even skin.

"Apparently the demon that killed him kept him animated to throw you all off. I gather whoever it was figured that you would not consider him still living, and would try to take the piece off of a dead being. I'm still not sure the reasons behind making him look alive, but that's the best I can give you."

Haku nodded.

"Well that makes sense. I have only one more question, for we have a lot to do and not much time to do it in."

"What is that?"

"What is your name?"

"John. John Murphy."

Well, the group never did sleep at the Silverbirch. In fact, they were gone from Ireland only an hour after they had found the sheep piece, with a few recommendations from Jin and the others that they should come back to visit sometime, considering they were thinking about staying a long while there.

The group nodded and said that someday they might, but for right now, they had a mission that they had to solve, and three days of the two weeks went down the drain. However, it had not amounted to just nothing. After all, they now had the Dragon, Rooster, and Sheep pieces in their grasps.

There were only nine pieces to go. In addition, eleven days were all that they had.

Well, the plane ride that would take them to the next place, France, was actually very short, only amounting to at most an hour considering they only had to pass over a small expanse of sea to get there.

Haku put in a report on his watch telling Koenma that they had just recently acquired the sheep. He filled him in on the little details, such as the dead man that had once possessed the piece, and inquired how it was possible to remove the piece, keep the man living, reasons why, and to gather as much information as Spirit World could on these so called Psychics that said they were helping. From what Haku had seen so far, no one, not even those that said that they would help, could be trusted, even if their background came out clean and they were speaking honestly. There was no room for mistakes, and Haku planned on making none.

About ten minutes before they landed, Haku received a return message from Koenma, saying that the detectives of France were informed, and would be waiting for them there. Unfortunately, not even Yoru would be able to translate any French, so complete translations would be laid at his feet once again. Although there was the possibility that Gaia would help Seika with French as well, he was not going to depend on her. Therefore, she was helping. She only had so much power to use, and was probably depending on them to get it back.

Pertaining to Yoru, they had not seen her much in Ireland. She had disappeared and then somehow gotten the sense to reappear at the hotel when they were collecting their things, and had not spoken a word to them since. Now she sat in the back of the plane as usual, brooding about something, and Haku could only wish he could read minds to find out what. He had a feeling, deep in his gut, that there was something Yoru should be telling them, but she was not of course. She knew something about the Dark Lord, and about what he was planning, he was sure, but she wasn't about to tell a detail to a group of children that she didn't care for or even like.

When they reached France, the group left the plane, to be told on watch that Mrs. Minamino had made them reservations at a French Hotel, but none of them, even after Haku had said it several times, could pronounce the title.

When they entered the Airport, and took a good look around, they spotted a small group of people, consisting of three guys, about Yoru's age, and a young girl that looked to be ten or eleven.

The boys were all tall, one with blonde hair, and the other two, most apparently twins, with black hair. The blonde had an earring on his right ear, and his eyes were a pretty amber, almost captivating. The twins were similar, with one wearing a silver chain around his neck and wearing a silk red shirt, and the other wearing a black t-shirt with a skeleton on fire on the front, various spiky bracelets and the sorts along his arm. Both men had dark brown eyes instead of the pretty amber. The girl however struck the attention most. She was very small and dainty, wearing a very pretty violet lavender dress that poofed out a little, white stockings, and rather shiny black slippers that looked similar to tap dancing shoes. Some of her wavy blonde hair was pinned up at the back of her head with a black silk ribbon, and the rest rested around her cheeks and on her shoulders like a curtain. Her eyes were blue and shiny, showing years of wisdom that was rare in a girl so young, and she clutched a stuffed doll that looked very similar to a worn out white cotton rabbit.

"You the guys from Japan?" The blonde man inquired, stepping up to the group. He had no weapons to him, except that his wrists were covered in blue wrist bands, similar to the wear of warriors in the fighting video games. His smile was very charming, and Seika almost wanted to glare at him for being the sort of guy that flirted and charmed what they wanted out of the ladies. Then he was caught stupefied when he found that Katai had a pleasant look to her eye, as if she had seen something that really attracted her attention.

"_Great. She is falling for him. This is certainly not how things are supposed to go!" _

Seika instantly got the vision of his plans in his head, as he thought of Katai being his girlfriend, as she was already his best friend and partner in crime. Crime meaning the little jokes they performed on students and teachers at school when they were bored and without something to do. Of course they would get into trouble, but because of their grades they still managed to keep up, so they could pretty much do as they liked. Then again, Katai was probably more like Seika's girlfriend over any one else. They hung out together, trained together, raided Kenya's fridge together, and gave Haku noogies when he was not looking together, and even, on some nights, studied together. If that was not a girlfriend-boyfriend relationship then Seika did not know what was. Still, he wanted Katai to call him her boyfriend, as he, in his mind, was already calling her his.

Haku walked over to the blonde and nodded. "Yes." He said in perfect French, as he had already learned it. "You are the Detectives of France I presume?"

"Yep!" The blonde announced, looking somewhat smug. "My names Donce, Donce Tipideaux. These two here with me are my younger brothers, Fredrick Tipideaux and Richard Tipideaux."

"It is a pleasure to meet you." Richard, the one with the red silk shirt said, bowing very elegantly. He took Katai's hand and kissed it, revealing that the two could be fallen for by the young Urameshi.

"Yo." Said Fredrick, the one with the black t-shirt.

"And this little one, our little porcelain doll is our younger sister, Amelia Tipideaux. She's this team's pride and joy."

"As my brother Richard has already said, it is a pleasure to meet you all. If you would be so kind, could you please introduce yourselves to us?" Amelia asked, giving a very elegant curtsy, and proving that she and her brother Richard were much in the same league of grace and intelligence.

Haku's eyes immediately caught to the young girl. He was, of course, a child genius, and to see someone his age acting about as delicate and poised as any adults that had trained themselves over time, were something almost foreign and rare to him. His eyes would remain on her for a while, as he quietly thought about her character to himself and no one else.

"My name is Haku Minamino. This is Seika Kuwabara." Seika waved, hearing his name and knowing, even if he could not understand French, that he was being introduced.

"Katai Urameshi."

"Huh?" Katai ever so intelligently replied, and it took Seika to whisper in her ear before she got the gist of things. "Oh! Hi!"

"Yoru Nohara."

"Bonsoir."

The entire group froze, including Haku.

"You speak French?" Seika inquired, nearly falling down in his stupor.

Yoru gave him an 'of-course-I-can-you-dimwit' look before walking past the French Detectives to eye something at the gift shop.

"What did she say?" Katai inquired, watching her leave.

"She said Good Evening." Haku answered, before continuing his introductions.

"This is Satou Nohara, Yoru's younger sister and this is Tsuki Kuwabara, Seika's younger sister. I believe you have already been informed on the reason for our arrival and why your help is required?"

"Yep. Intelligence sent us our instructions via computer. We are to help you find the Zodiac puzzle piece here in Dijon, France. If you'll come with me, we already have a ride waiting."

Again, Koenma was calling himself Intelligence. Haku snickered to himself. Intelligence only came to Koenma if it was something hanging heavy over his head. However, Haku could not be rude and make any sort of fun of him. Although somewhat childish at times, Koenma was quite a good ruler and judge of those coming in and those going out. He just had a height problem.

The group followed the detectives of France to a set of three taxis, where from there they would be taken to a train that would take them to Dijon. Right now, they had landed in the airport in Reims, a city at least one hundred and fifty miles away from Dijon, where Koenma had told them the puzzle piece had to be.

Donce, Richard, and Fredrick, preferring to be called just Rick, all were seated in one Taxi.

Satou and Tsuki, both small, could fit in one seat, and Haku and Amelia were sat together. Haku had no qualms. He wanted to get to know Amelia a little better.

Seika and Katai were seated in the last one, and by the time the ride was over, they were already asleep from exhaustion. They traveled and were near the train in twenty minutes, ready to start their search in France.

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Catse: What do you guys think? There's going to be a lot of fun in France, so keep reading and I'll keep updating. Well, got to go. Ja Ne for now! 


	14. The Plot Thickens

Catse: Okay, sorry for the long wait everyone. I had this done within two weeks, but I guess Dragon and Sword Master has been busy, because it took a while for him to send it back. But no worries! I want everyone to thank him for taking the trouble to fix my terrible mistakes, so please clap for him! In any case, I hope I can update soon after this, but if any of you watch the news Channel, you'll come to understand that a new update may take a while. We've got a Hurricane coming at us, Hurricane Emily I think, and considering how close it is to us may mean we need to evacuate. So please bare with me on this and I will get an update up as soon as possible! As for now, please read and review! Ja Ne for now!

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"Your friends are quite persistent." Sifirus exclaimed with a chuckle as he patted his crow, Corus, over the head. He sat comfortably in his cushioned chair, watching what looked like a giant mirror on the wall. Upon that mirror was the image of the taxis coming through the streets of France, and of the people riding within them.

"Yeah well, I'd expect nothing else from my team." Kenya's spirit answered, sitting in Indian style in his giant glass bottle.

"I see…So you made friends with them specifically because of that?"

"No. Not only are they determined, but also they are some of the best people I have ever known. They have a spirit and will to them that make them a great team when put together."

"I see. So I only have to separate them to kill them I take it?" Sifirus exclaimed, laughing lightly to himself when Kenya objected to it.

"That's not at all true! They are each strong in their own way!"

"Yes, but like a puzzle, they need each other to be unbeatable. Just like the old detective team. Yusuke was not a leader, but he was powerful and determined to see his way to victory in almost every match he fought. His unfortunate down sides was that his intelligence and his spirit awareness were rather low. Kuwabara filled in for the Spirit Awareness, as Yusuke helped fill in his lack of determination to fight anyone but him. Kurama was very skilled and very smart, filling in for both Yusuke and Kuwabara's lacks, but in him, he lacked the actual ability to be a cold hearted killer, due to his time in Human world. This Hiei made up for, as Kuwabara made up for his actual lack of spirit awareness, and Kurama made up for his skill in the use of his energy. Hiei was powerful in his energy, and very skilled indeed, but his need for more power, and his need to keep up, drove him to work harder than he ever had before, and to gain his ability to control the Black Fire Dragon. Kurama helped him to learn to control his skills better, as Yusuke drove his determination to power to levels he had never reached."

"You seem to know a lot about our parents." Kenya said.

"Yes, well. I've done my research. Just as I did so on you."

"What do you mean?"

"In order to complete my plans I needed to make sure I knew both teams, to ensure I wouldn't be messed with. Your parents are strong, but they are also older. They haven't been detectives for four years, and now have families. I just have to hold one member of their family to make them fall to their knees. However, as for the new detectives, you all have reached the same power of your parents in less time, which makes me curious. How could you have done so? Unless the teamwork you have strengthens the bond between you like it did the original team. You, Kenya, kept everyone glued together. When there was trouble, you kept a cool mind and knew what to do. However, you are no longer there, which leaves the missing piece in your puzzle. Katai, Yusuke's daughter, lacks in intelligence where Haku and you make up for it. She is strong, but you need more. Haku is not strong unless he takes his fox form, and then he is intelligent, in which that missing strength everyone else fills in. Seika is lazy, and although powerful, not fast to kill if he can find another solution, so his inability to see the big picture thoroughly you and Haku give to him. Not to mention the girls, Satou and Tsuki, who have little to no experience fighting at all, and Yoru, my reluctant little servant, whom wanted you dead but lost you in the act."

Kenya became quiet after all of this, his eyes pointed to the bottom of the bottle he was in. This man had done his research all right and saw more about them than they saw in each other most of the time. Nevertheless, Kenya still had a question that needed answering. The psychic he had talked to just this morning had told him that he had, indeed, found his friends, but he hadn't had much time to tell Kenya about how his friends were trying to revive him. That was the question he wanted to ask, and maybe, if he played his cards right, Sifirus would tell him without realizing it.

"Why are you following my friends anyway? If I'm the glue that holds them together, then what are you worried about?" Kenya asked, scooting closer to the glass. Sifirus never turned his head when he gave a short explanation.

"They are working for my needs." He said. "They are helping me find something that I alone, could not locate."

"And what is that?"

"A puzzle. A puzzle to great power and great destruction."

* * *

"So, let me get this straight. You are all a family of French Detectives, out for the better good. Who's the leader of your team?" Katai inquired, lounging in one of the seats of the train they had boarded. Supposedly, it was going to stop where they needed to go, being Dijon, and from there they would get to the hotel they would remain at. 

"I am." Donce stated, raising his hand.

They had found out just a little while ago that, every one of the French Detectives spoke Japanese, and that there would be no problem in translations. Haku was very thankful for the break.

A loud snore escaped Seika's lips as he sat a little bit away, sleeping.

Tsuki and Satou kept themselves busy pointing little things out through the windows of the place, while Haku sat next to Amelia, and the two softly spoke about books they had read.

Yoru was in another compartment in the train, choosing to stay away from her team.

"We are very pleased to meet you, Detectives of Japan." Richard announced of himself, giving a simple bow of respect. "We have heard much of your parents and your fights in Japan. You are the ones that defeated Lord Rioko if we have heard correctly?"

"You got it." Katai yawned, lazily swatting at her mouth in an attempt to flap away her breath.

Richard instantly tugged out a silk handkerchief and handed it to her.

"There. That should help." He said with a voice as smooth as the silk in the tissue. Katai didn't know what to make of him. He was kind, gentle, and very elegant and thought of everyone else. To say the least, any girl would be stupid not to like him, and she was a girl.

"Thank you." She said sweetly, giving him a smile.

He smiled back and an indignant huff erupted from Rick's throat, as he found the little scene of politeness disturbing.

"What's your problem?" Donce inquired as Rick stood up.

"I came here to find something to kill; not to watch my twin flirt. I'm leaving."

"Alright, but keep in mind of our mission. These guys need help."

Rick growled and left through the door, disappearing down the hall.

"Excuse my brother. He's very antisocial." Richard smiled. Katai nodded, but she couldn't help but feel that there was lingering on the angry man. She wasn't one for much deep thought, but he reminded her of a certain gothic bad-ass whom hated her family and preferred to kill a demon before thinking to set eyes on him.

The train stopped a few hours later, in which Seika had finally awoken from his sleep to say he had had the strangest dream, of bamboo tickling him.

Katai laughed in his face, as everyone else just stared at him strangely. The entire mixed group stepped off the train, and instantly conveyed, by taxi, to the hotel they would stay at.

Katai could really care less for the surroundings. The only thing she cared about was whether the beds were as soft as Richard and Donce had told her, and that the food was good. And it was an extra plus that chocolate was put on her pillow, although by accident that night, she was so tired she fell asleep on the bed without removing the chocolate, and woke up the next morning looking as if a camel had sucked on her head. Well, considering how late it was, they all went to sleep at the hotel, with Donce and his group promising to come back at about ten the next morning.

They did, and the next morning they reappeared, with Haku ordering a breakfast for them all before getting started. Of course, Haku and Amelia sat next to each other as they talked about even more books, and then some of the classes and the people they had met.

Katai, somehow got herself situated between the twins Rick and Richard, with Seika next to Rick and growling low to himself about how much attention Katai was getting from the other guys. Donce sat in front of Seika, with the two little girls talking quietly over breakfast to themselves. As much as the commotion of the table went along, Donce couldn't help but keep his eyes on both Satou and Tsuki. When asked later, why he had, he merely said that he remembered when Rick and Richard were little and he had to look after them as their older brother. The little girls reminded him of when he was a kid, and he missed those days.

Well after breakfast, they had a short discussion on where to start looking first.

"These people that have the zodiac pieces are usually very talented in some area. And I believe we are looking for the monkey piece." Seika said to the crowd.

"Well then, the fine arts are probably where you are looking." Amelia told him, standing up. She pulled her rabbit doll with her, and gave a small courtesy to the group. "I would suggest visiting the museums here in the area. Maybe you may find something."

"Amelia's right. France is very well known for its many artistic pieces. I believe there is a museum somewhere here in Dijon that might be of some help." Donce said, and the group nodded.

"In fact, I believe it is in walking distance from here." Richard added. He stood up and before Katai could stand herself up, he reached out a hand for her to take, so he could help her out of her chair.

Katai didn't know what to think of it, so she did what she thought was right and gave Richard her hand. Seika of course didn't like this either, but kept his mouth shut. He'd show Katai his feelings in due time. He didn't need to make her look like a fool now.

Unfortunately, for him, as he didn't realize what he was doing, he had his fist clenched before him, and it shook madly.

"Something wrong?" Donce inquired, and Seika finally noticed the mannerisms of his hand.

"Oh! Nothing, nothing! I'm good! Yeah! Let's go!" He began marching in the front of the crowd, Tsuki and Satou taking it as a game as they followed him.

As they walked, Satou took little pictures of things they saw, and she took even more when they got to the museum and went inside. There were so many paintings that the detectives from Japan were almost overwhelmed by the sight of it all and Seika nearly fell over when they came to the statues. There were a few nude ones there, and he had never laid eyes on such weird pieces.

"They're very…" he coughed, "…artistic…"

"Yes well, that's some of the art from around here. Hm. What is going on with that crowd?" Donce said, pointing to a crowd of people that were gathering in a small room off to the side of the museum. In curiosity, they joined the crowd, came to find that a very famous artist had just barely finished his latest work, and put it up in this very museum. Now, they were just waiting to unmask the painting and show it to everyone.

"You think maybe this guy is what we're looking for?" Seika whispered in Haku's ear. Haku shrugged. "I'm not sure. There is always the possibility. Do you sense anything?"

Seika shook his head.

"No. And Gaia hasn't given me any images yet."

"Then perhaps the artist isn't here."

"There he is!" Amelia pointed her French accent heavy. A tall man, very thin and rigid walked up to the stage, gave a curt bow, and then pulled the sheet that hid the canvas underneath. As soon as the group saw it, they froze.

"I call it the 'Fruit Dish of Life'." He said. The picture was of a large Egyptian like bowl, and inside were various different fruits and vegetables, only they were see through, almost like glass, and with in sat various different animals, sleeping. What struck them the most was that the animals were from the zodiac, with the monkey in the banana and the horse in the apple, a rooster in the corn, a dragon in the squash, and it would continue from there.

"Coincidence maybe?" Donce inquired of the group as they crept in closer through the crowd. Seika needed to see if the artist was the monkey they sat.

However, the clue proved false. The man was not the zodiac holder, just a painter.

They left that area in frustration, and continued to search for the rest of that day. When nothing turned up, they decided to head home.

"I must insist that you come to have dinner with us tonight." Richard offered, and his offer was backed up by a nod of Donce and a plea from Amelia. Rick however just glared and as soon as they reached the detective's home, he disappeared upstairs.

Their home was an elegant two or three story house, with a nice yard of roses in the front and a white picket fence.

Inside, the fashion was tasteful, running along with a sun and moon design in orange, blue, and black. Donce pulled off the black designer's jacket he had worn that day and placed it on a coat hanger, along with everyone else's.

"What would you guys like to eat?" Donce inquired as he unbuttoned the first few buttons of his shirt, and rolled up his sleeves.

"Anything really." Katai answered sighing into the cushiony couch. Seika sat on her right side, and to his disappointment, Richard sat on her left.

Tsuki and Satou, still energetic even though they had walked all day, asked if they could investigate the house, and Donce smiled and allowed them to do as they wished, as long as they stayed away from the attic and didn't touch anything.

Donce really was a child person. He had the sweetness to him that most children liked, and a care in his eye that told he would let nothing happen to the young with him.

Seika actually found himself liking the eldest Tipideaux, and couldn't help but think that they were very similar.

In addition, of course, as was Yoru's style, she was no where to be seen as of the present moment.

Well Donce cooked up a simple meal, but the group didn't recognize it for they didn't eat French often, and after eating, they sat and talked a while.

"So, where else can we search? The museum didn't have anything." Seika inquired, leaning back. Satou and Tsuki had already fallen asleep, finally tired, on one of the couches, and Katai was getting close to joining them.

"Not necessarily. It may only mean that the person we're looking for wasn't there today. We'll have to go back again tomorrow and have another look." Richard replied, smiling.

"You all can crash here for the night if you wish. We start early tomorrow morning." Donce yawned and stood, disappearing upstairs for a moment after the group agreed to stay. When he came back down, he told them all to follow him; that he had set up sleeping arrangements for them upstairs.

Tsuki and Satou would stay with Amelia in her room, for she had an extra bed they could sleep on. They had an extra room upstairs for Katai to stay in and Yoru, if she ever came around, and Seika and Haku would stay in the attic.

After everyone was set up and settled, the lights went out, and sleep claimed them.

* * *

The next morning they tried again, but again to no avail. Seika sensed nothing, and no one out of the ordinary seemed to appear. None of the army that Sifirus controlled came out to disturb and/or distract them, and strangely, no crimes had been committed in the last day that would prove someone had been found dead. Of course, that didn't mean that whoever killed the man in Ireland had found the person here.

Therefore, after having dropped the Japanese detectives at their hotel and returning home, the French detectives quietly talked amongst themselves.

"Are you even sure the man we're are looking for could be an artist?" Donce asked his young sister, and she shook her head.

"No, I'm not sure." Amelia answered. "But there could always be the possibility. The person with the zodiac piece could take weeks, even months to come out of hiding, and not even realize someone is looking for him."

"But we don't have that time." Richard reminded, running his hand through his hair. Rick grunted and stood, going towards the stairs.

"And where are you going so suddenly?" Donce said with a crick of his neck. Rick turned around only a moment to tell his family it was none of their business, before returning to his trek upstairs. His brothers and sister shrugged and continued talking as Rick opened the door to his room and closed it behind him. Just like any Goth, such as he, he had numerous amounts of dark rock posters on his walls, and many different pieces of his own art on the walls.

He sighed, sat down on his bed, and rubbed the back of his neck. The conversation he had last had with the woman called Yoru had been chilling. It was on the train, just a few days ago, when he had stood and left his family and the new people in that compartment in search of a place to sit by himself. He ran into the dark lady herself, sitting alone in her own little space, and trying not to disturb her, went to close the door.

_"Come in." She said, glancing her red eyes at him. She had a look that said she would not let him refuse. _

_He did as asked and closed the door behind him; sitting down near it should he have to escape at any time. _

_"You can sit a little closer. I don't bite…Well; at least I won't bite you." She murmured. He again did as she said and scooted closer. Yoru kept her eyes on the landscapes that were rushing by her window, and finally, after a drawn out sigh, she slouched back and put her attention towards him. _

_"They don't know, do they?" She inquired smiling. _

_"Know what?" Rick had asked. _

_"About your little secret."_

_"What little secret?" He wasn't sure what she was talking about, but the look in her gaze told him it was the secret that he had tried to hide for a while. _

_"You know what I'm talking about. They don't know do they?" _

_Rick sighed. "No. They don't. And I intend to keep it that way." _

_"You do realize that you can't keep it for very long. My little 'group' may be stupid in some ways, but they know how to take a hint when given. It will only take one clue somewhere in your house, and they will sense it." _

_"No they won't. I have it very well hidden." _

_"In a tree. Hah! A stroll in the backyard will tell them exactly what they need to know." _

_Rick stood up and walked towards the door, ready to leave. It would take only one last remark to get him going faster than he ever thought his legs could take him. _

_"It'll cause you much trouble. You never know what…kind…of demons may be searching for it." She smirked, and he bolted. _

Rick sighed. Ever since that conversation he couldn't help but have her in his mind, constantly telling him what he already knew himself. He knew there was going to be a showdown, and the demons would be after what he had. However, he very well couldn't just hand it over to the people that they were with…these Japanese Detectives! He had no idea in telling if they were actually true to their mission or not. For all he knew, they could be spies for the Dark Lord or some other demon entity after power. Then, how was Intelligence so easily fooled as to ask his family to help them, unless the Intelligence was corrupt. He sighed again.

There was no way in knowing and he would have to wait for a sign. As for now, he had to make sure his treasure was safe. Therefore, he clambered out his window and jumped into the tree next to it. Reaching in, he pulled out a small silver square with writing carved into it and a golden piece sticking out of it.

"I won't let them have you unless they prove themselves." He told the puzzle piece. "Not at all, not at all."

* * *

Catse: So what did you think? Kind of gets the plot going right? Did any of you suspect. Please review and tell me what you think! It makes me feel loved! Ja Ne for now!


	15. What to do?

Catse: Okay everyone, here's the next update! Yays! And again, all thanx goes to Dragon and Sword Master for his awesome help in Beta-ing this story. He makes sure my stupid little mistakes don't get out in the story, and makes it a more agreeable read to those that see and pick out the little details. Everybody clap for him!...Okay, with that out of the way, I've updated just a little early on this considering I made everyone wait so long last time, but if I am late, I'm terribly sorry. I have a bad memory, call it fish-like, so I tend to forget little things very often. sigh What I wouldn't do for a memory...Okay well, now that I've said all of that, on with the story!

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Disclaimer: See chappie number one...

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Seika was trapped. He wasn't sure why, but he was trapped. The Tipideaux's door lay at his back, and inside he felt there was something dear he needed to protect. Before him, Demons were attacking, and he had long past lost his staff somewhere, leaving him defenseless. What would he do? How would he protect the precious inside? He saw a flash of green fly by his eyes, and realized that some sort of plants had saved him, and upon second look, he found it to be rich green bamboo. However, just as soon as it came, it disappeared, and Gaia stood before him, her white skirts flowing about her.

"Have you come to help us again?" Seika inquired.

She merely smiled and pointed at Seika, or more importantly, at the house itself.

"Is it here? Is the puzzle piece here?" he asked, but the goddess had already disappeared, and he was left in a void of darkness much like the hole she had floated above when he first saw her.

He didn't even realize he was sitting up in his bed until he looked around. They were at the hotel, and it was still late in the night, so that the room was dark and very little light came through the window. Haku was sleeping, so Seika clambered out of bed quietly to keep from waking him, and went into the living room area. There was a large window decoration there, as they were on the side of the building, and he took a seat in a chair next to it. Quietly, almost confused, he viewed the moon overhead, and sighed.

"Something bad is going to happen very soon." He whispered, placing his chin delicately in his hand. "And I have no idea what to do."

His pet, Niko, whom had crawled into their hotel that night, clambered up to his lap and chirped, curling up to go to sleep.

"You know it too, don't you Niko." Seika whispered, and he received another chirp.

"I just hope whatever happens can be dealt with."

As he sat there, he suddenly received a heavy impression that something was wrong now, and not later, and it took him so out of key, that he had to run in a wake Haku.

"What are you doing?" Haku whispered, rubbing an eye. He sat up in his pajamas and as soon as he looked into Seika's eyes, he knew there was something up. "What's wrong?"

"I think something has happened to one of the French Detectives. I don't know what, but something just happened and I felt it."

Haku nodded and in an instant afterward was dressed with his glasses back on his nose, and had woken Katai and the girls.

"Come on everyone. We've got to check into something." They all dressed and headed straight over to the Tipideaux house, in which a late night taxi conveyed them. Once the taxi had left, they rapidly knocked on the door, and were answered by a very sleepy Donce, whom had accidentally fallen asleep on the couch while reading a book.

"What's up guys? Why are you here so late?"

"Where is everyone?" Seika mumbled as his breath caught to the freezy air. "I need to see everyone in the house."

Donce didn't waste time. In a matter of minutes they had a very grouchy Rick standing with them, and a rather tired Richard expressing his elegance to Katai once more. But someone was missing.

"Amelia!" Donce shouted, banging on her door. "Open up."

"What's up?" Katai shouted up at him, and Donce shook his head.

"She won't open the door. I don't know why, but she usually doesn't do this."

Rick sighed and clambered the steps. "Need in?" he asked, as he usually never offered to do anything. Then again, this was his sister they were talking about.

"Yes, please." Donce answered, knowing his brother's strengths.

Rick dug through his pocket to pull out a simple pick, and upon flipping it around the lock and using a little energy from his store, the door flew open to show an empty room, and a note, painted in blood, on her bed.

Donce picked it up, and nearly dropped it again after he read it.

"What does it say?" Richard inquired as Rick hid his pick in his pocket again.

"It says: 'Dear Frenchmen, because you have helped my mortal enemies, as punishment I have stolen something dear to you. If you wish to have her back, bring me the man that sees beyond the world, and she shall be returned. Ask my old servant where to go looking. She'll know. Signed, the Dark Lord.'"

It froze to the very hearts of the Japanese Detectives. To think, that just because they had help in their travel, they were being punished.

"We have to rescue her." Haku said after a moment, his hands balled into fists. "We can't let him do to her what he's already done to Kenya."

"You know of this man?" Donce inquired, handing the letter to Richard.

The group nodded.

"He's the main reason we're out here. He killed our leader, and we've been searching for the puzzle so as to bring him back, but he's been trying to stop us every step of the way."

"This 'man that sees beyond the world'? Who is it? Do you know him?"

They thought a moment, before Haku nodded grimly.

"Yes. He's our temporary leader. Seika."

* * *

"So what will we do?" Katai asked, sitting up straight for once. Seika was sitting next to the window, thinking to himself what would happen. The deal was simple. If he turned himself in, the young girl would live. If he didn't, she'd probably be in a glass bottle with Kenya, and he doubted they could bring both of them back to life with the puzzle. It only granted one wish.

"We've no real choice. We have to go over there and retrieve her. Does anyone know where Yoru is at the moment?"

"No, but I'm sure if we called up Hiei, he might know." Katai offered, and Satou, listening carefully to the conversation along with Tsuki, shook her head.

"No. Dad has a powerful Jagan, but we're too far away for him to use it to locate her." She said, sighing. "But I think I know where she's at."

"Where?" The group asked.

Satou glanced upwards. "Yoru, you can come out now!"

There was silence.

"Yoru! Stop fooling around!"

The silence continued until Tsuki began shouting too.

"Please come down! We need to talk to you!"

"Are you sure she's up there?" Donce inquired.

Both little girls nodded.

"Well then…we'd better—"

Donce was cut off when he noticed a very angry Haku stand up, stalk outside, and within minutes come walking back in with Yoru held by the scruff of the neck, her claws digging into his hand.

"Let me go you runt!" She shouted as Haku tossed her, rather roughly into a chair. The groups stared at him oddly, as it was unusual for a twelve year old to drag someone of Yoru's age and power, down from the top of the house and then inside by himself. His strength was not his own however, as his eyes were already giving off a silent and deadly silver pulse.

"Tell us what we need to know." He ordered, giving a Yoru a no-nonsense glare.

She apparently ignored it however for she folded her arms and turned her head away. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Um, Haku…" Donce started, but by now, the angry fox could not stop looking at her with his glare that said 'tell me now if you want to live'. He had made quite an easy friend with Amelia, and there was no way he would allow a friend of his to remain in trouble.

"Tell me!"

"Or what? You can't do anything anymore shrimp. I'm too powerful for you and if you plan on going Yoko on my ass, then you can just bet that'll serve well for the Dark Lord's plans. One of his major threats would be out of the way and his disobedient slave abolished, or have you forgotten?" Yoru growled, giving Haku a piercing red glare.

Suddenly, a spiked green thorn ripped through Haku's hand into Yoru's shoulder, proving that, right now, Haku didn't care.

Yoru tried to glare him off, but it wouldn't work. Haku was a little too far gone in his worry of his new friend, and she had to give in.

"Fine, you know that tower thing here in France, somewhere in Paris."

"You mean the Eiffel Tower? That's about a hundred and fifty miles North-West of here. Is that where Amelia is being kept?" Donce questioned, leaning forward.

"I would think so. The Dark Lord likes to play games, and land marks are his specialty. I wouldn't be surprised if the castle in Demon World he's staying at is a Land Mark itself. Are you happy now?"

"Are you certain she's there?" Haku asked, his silver eyes blazing.

"Yes! Yes! Now let me go!"

"Be serious." Haku ordered, and Yoru sighed again.

"If she's not there you can go ahead and cut my Jagan eye out okay! She's there, it's a guarantee!"

"I don't know…" Haku mumbled.

Yoru grunted. "If I didn't know then why would the Dark Lord point you to me for directions eh?"

"How do you know about that?"

"I know how he works! I was his servant for a while; remember? He doesn't like to give you the answer himself; he likes you to look for it. No doubt he'll have something similar for you at the tower."

Haku sighed, his silver eyes pulsing into blue once more as he calmed down.

"Alright, we'll have to get over there."

"The train should be able to take us." Donce agreed, standing up. "So who will accompany me?"

"I will." Haku answered immediately, running a hand through his red hair. "I have to help out."

"Me too." Rick grunted out. He was standing on the stairs, listening to their conversation, and was just as amazed as everyone else to how much fear Yoru held was for the kit. He knew that the Goth would never admit it in a million years, but Yoru was actually afraid of the boy. Why, he became curious to, and maybe on the trip he'd get to understand this Japanese team a little better, and determine if they were worthy of the thing he protected. If not, there would be no way they would get a hold of it.

"I believe I will stay. I will help the other detectives in finding the puzzle piece that they are looking for." Richard stated, giving Katai a tentative glance she almost certainly didn't notice. Seika noticed it however. "I'll stay. I have a strange feeling he's trying to get us all over there, like a trick. If some of us stay behind, then maybe he won't get what he wants."

"Fine. I'm stayin' too!" Katai acknowledged, slouching in a chair, in a very unladylike manner. "But good luck."

"We want to go!" Tsuki and Satou announced at once, but Donce shook his head.

"I'm afraid that you cannot come. This is not something simple, but a dangerous mission, and one that involves much more experience than what you have."

"Yeah, you both stay here. What the hell would I tell your mothers if you got hurt, huh?" Seika replied, standing up and patting both girls on the head. They looked disappointed, but gave no more acknowledgements to the decision. "But take Niko with you. If anything goes wrong he'll be able to slip out and tell me." The little cat creature clambered out from behind Seika, licked Donce's outstretched hand, and leapt to his shoulder with a chirp. It was already apparent that Niko liked the man, just as the rest of the group did. He was just, agreeable.

"Alright, then it's settled. Come on, I think we can catch the eight o'clock train." Donce, Haku, Rick, and Niko disappeared out the door with jackets, with only a stop and one last glance at the residence from Haku, before he too disappeared with the group, and was therefore gone.

"Now, let us go out and search for this person you are trying to locate." Richard said, extending a hand to help Katai up. Seika growled, but otherwise kept silent.

A few minutes later, Seika, Katai, Richard, Tsuki, and Satou left the house, heading toward the museum for a quick look around, and then around the malls and the streets.

When they returned, late that morning, Haku and the others had still not returned, so they could only sit and wait.

* * *

The train trip only lasted about an hour or two, and then stopped in Paris, where the group clambered out and raced towards the tower. Upon getting close to it, they found the entire tourist spot vacated, with a various assembly of cops on the outside, arms crossed.

"Excuse me sir, we need to get to the top." Donce said, and the cop he talked to gave him a glare.

"I'm sorry, but this area has been temporarily closed off."

"Why?" Rick huffed, giving off a good glare of his own.

The cop spat on the ground, and then returned his face to point skyward, almost arrogantly.

"Electrical problems." Was the reply that he gave, and no additional information could they collect.

They backed away from the land mark, and sat on a bench, a good distance away.

"That's strange. It's about the time the place is usually open, and electrical problems rarely happen to the tower." Donce commented.

Haku smirked. "Yoru gave us a clue after all. Remember, she said the Dark Lord likes to 'play games'. This is just one of them. He wants to see if we can figure out how to get into the tower without causing an uproar."

"Yeah, she did say that didn't she?" Donce returned, stretching. "How do we get up there, any clues?"

Haku stood up with him. "First. We need to make sure that this is the place. Our best bet is to send Niko up to take a glance at the top level, and see if Amelia is there. If so, then we can configure what to do."

Therefore, they sent Niko off, and a pair of electric wings carried him to the top of the tower.

He returned chirping, a quick alarm that Amelia was indeed at the top.

"So Yoru was correct for once. At least we can trust her word." Donce replied as he and Haku began to strategize.

"Yeah well, only sometimes. She has a habit of making things difficult."

"So, how will we get in?"

"Simple." Rick answered instead of Haku, but in Japanese so no one else could understand what he was saying. "It's easy to see that there are no electrical problems."

"How can you tell?" Donce asked, and Rick gave him a look that meant it was a stupid question.

"There would be sparks somewhere, or they would have tried turning on the place by now. The electric system is very efficient. Only a few light bulbs would go out at most, which wouldn't cause too much delay. Besides, what idiot would know to check on the electric system in broad daylight, when it would be difficult to see the lights themselves? They would do it early in the morning or evening, in which as of now, its ten o'clock, and the sun has fully risen."

"Good point." Donce replied as Haku nodded.

"Not only that, but" Haku continued for him, "they wouldn't need cops at the front gates, and even if they did, not so many. There is other violence in the city and they wouldn't even allow so many cops to stay here outside of the tower. There would only be two or three and several signs warning tourists away from the property."

"Which means those cops have their minds controlled some how, and if we find the source of that control, we can easily demolish that problem." Rick went on.

"But there is also the problem of traps that could possibly be set on the lift, which would make it an instant danger to try. This means we'll have to find either an airborne method that is very little noticed, or teleportation means for someone that has been there already."

"Damn you guys are good." Donce acknowledged after some time. "I'm just going to sit here and let the two of you complete the planning. My interference probably wouldn't help." In reality, Donce had always known Rick was smart, about as smart as Richard was cunning, but he had never realized how smart until he was put against the child genius of Haku. Sure, their sister was a genius, but Rick never really spent time around any of them, so no one could tell his intelligence that way. That, and Rick usually failed school which only meant that he was either only intelligent in scheming, or was just bored at school and refused to do the work. Either way, Rick was very intelligent.

"So, first we take care of the cops. They'll get in our way, and we don't need to harm the citizens and cause a war with France." Continued Haku.

Rick nodded. "I'll do that. Afterwards, you string up some vines in the back of the tower, in whatever direction seems the less populated."

"But what about being seen?" Haku inquired, as Rick already had an answer.

"Donce will take care of that. His main ability is invisibility."

"Alright." Donce agreed. "But I warn you; my abilities only last a short amount of time. We're going to have to climb quickly."

Haku nodded. "Yes, but our next problem is what happens if the Dark Lord himself is up there waiting, or one of his allies or servants. We can easily fall over."

To this Niko chirped.

"Oh, that's right." Haku commented. "Niko has the ability to change his size on will. He can easily catch us should one or all of us fall."

"Okay, the plan has been initiated. You all wait here as I take care of the cops."

The group nodded and watched as Rick ran out towards the Eiffel tower, dodging behind lamps and such, until he managed to sneak past the cops. There, he began a slow but quick assault on the backs of the men, sticking them only carefully from what Haku learned later were acupuncture needles, as Rick had also spent a small amount of time in China.

Once all of the cops had fallen and Rick pulled them out of plain view, Haku and Donce ran in, and Haku grew up the vines as planned. Donce set them invisible to the naked eye in a matter of moments and they quickly worked their way up the tower along the ladder of greenery.

Of course, as Donce stated before, his invisibility didn't last very long, so in a matter of moments, as they were around the upper half, it dissolved and they were visible once more.

"Oh well, at least we weren't noticed!" Donce shouted up as they continued to climb.

He received no answer as they soon made it to the top and Rick helped both Haku and Donce take up balance.

Instantly, all three noticed the blonde hair girl tied in the corner.

"Amelia!" Donce shouted, running towards her. He lifted her in his arms and looked her over. Apparently, she had put up a fight, for there were a few scratches on her fine soft cheek, and her hair was tousled, not well kempt and brushed as she always kept it.

"Amelia wake up!" Rick sat down next to her and began to shake her, lightly. "Come on!"

"Something isn't right." Haku mumbled, glancing around.

"What do you mean?" Donce inquired as Rick continued to shake his sister.

"I mean this was too simple. There should be something waiting for us up here, other than her."

"Quite right." Said a soft, young, feminine voice.

Rick suddenly backed up as Amelia stood up on her fine shiny black shoes. The rope that tied her together came loose, and her smile broadened, pretty blue eyes suddenly a clouded grey.

"Amelia?" Donce inquired.

"You fools." She said, her white teeth showing. "You fools actually showed up. I'm impressed."

"Amelia, what are you doing?" Rick asked, her teeth bore in anger. "This isn't like you!"

"Let her go." Haku mumbled, eyes very calm.

Amelia's smile broadened. "My my, let who go?"

"Amelia is still unconscious isn't she? Let her go! Stop showing us this silly illusion!"

"This is no illusion my dear boy." The girl said, her tongue slipping out like a snakes. "This is reality!" She leapt at him in an instant, in which Haku quickly stepped out of the way, as she collided with the railing, nearly toppling over.

"Stop trying to fool me." Haku replied, dusting off his shirt. "I know an illusion when I see one."

Amelia gave off a cackle and dove for him again. Just as she came down on him, Haku released a rose from his hand, and like a sword, it shot up and through Amelia's belly.

"No!" Donce and Rick cried, as the blonde girl looked down at the hole in her stomach, and then, promptly collapsed onto the tower, her breath no more.

"How could you?" Donce shouted, and he tried to run to his fallen sister, but Haku put his hand out.

"Stop, she's only acting."

"What!"

"This isn't her."

"What do you mean it isn't here?" Donce cried back. "It has to be."

Rick instantly caught onto what Haku was talking about. "No, that isn't her. Amelia doesn't wear her black slippers to bed."

"Hehehehehehe…" a low deep cackled erupted around them, as the sky suddenly took a turn from light blue to dark purple. The back of Amelia tore in two, and out of it came what looked like a wooden puppet, his face rather obscured with cuts and chips, as the rest of his body was. "Very smart of you." It said, his strings releasing Amelia's arms, legs, and head.

"Where's Amelia?" Haku asked, growling.

"You'll find out soon enough." The puppet laughed, pulling its head off its shoulders and replacing it with a crack. "You shouldn't worry about her. You should be worrying about your other friends."

"What's happening to them?" Rick shouted as Donce began to scoot away from the dead girl before him.

"As I said, you'll find out soon enough."

* * *

Catse: Whew! That was long! Hope you all enjoyed it! Remember, reviews are very welcome. And, just for a slight fit of boredom, you can review telling me which of all of the characters is your favorite, if by chance your favorite has changed by some circumstance or other. As for now, I've got to go and write on something. Oh, and for all of you Kingdom Hearts people out there, if you're bored, you might want to read the fic Kojika85 and me are composing together. It's called Anime Hearts, done by holyhellwhatarewedoing, so if you're bored and looking for something interesting, we'd love it if you went and checked it out. Well, that's all from me right now. Ja Ne! 


	16. Where's Amelia?

Catse: Yay! It's up on time! Okay, well this is the last chapter for France. I don't have much time to talk but I hope you all enjoy it! All thanks for Beta-ing goes to Dragon and Sword Master! Thank you and Happy Birthday! Okay well, Ja Ne!

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Disclaimer: See chapter one...

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Seika was starting to get annoyed. Not only annoyed, but also worried. The sky had already taken to a dark color, and it was only eleven, at most. He didn't believe France had a few hours of daylight and then darkness. 

"We're going to go out and see if we can't find out why the darkness has occurred." Katai announced, grabbing her coat, Richard was with her.

"Are you sure you should? It may be nothing." Seika said, hoping that this wasn't another trick. After all, he didn't trust Richard in the least, and he was getting awfully close to Katai.

Katai, on the other hand, wasn't the least bit worried and Seika had to reassure himself that no matter who attacked Katai, she'd probably give them a good beating. If not, he'd feel it. He had developed a sort of sense to her, that when she was really in danger, he could save her.

It didn't work that well though, so he wasn't sure if it would this time.

"I still have to check it out and Richard's coming with me. Can you stay and watch the girls?" she asked. She already knew he would.

"Yeah, just get back soon. I don't need two parties to worry about."

Katai nodded, she, and Richard, both with coats, disappeared out the door.

Tsuki and Satou, both rather bored, were watching TV, some cartoon channel in French, and Seika kept his eyes on the outside through the window.

A good ten minutes after Katai and Richard left, Seika began to get the feeling that something was wrong, only stronger than before. As if not only one group in his team was in trouble, another was. He stood up, instantly running outside. Both girls, watching him take off out the door, let their curiosity get the better of them and followed Seika.

Seika halted right out the door, Satou running into his back as Tsuki timidly stepped out the door way.

"What's wrong?" Satou snapped up, rubbing her nose with a look of agitation on her face.

"We've got company girls." Seika told them, as the small cloud of demons in the sky grew closer. "Lot's of company."

* * *

"So, any ideas to why the sky is black all of a sudden?" Katai asked Richard as they strode down the side walk. They'd been walking for five minutes, and Richard wasn't much into talking now, so Katai was bored. She hated it when there was no noise…she had to hear something! Not only that, but she was beginning to get worried about the scarcity of people on the streets. It was as if people knew what was happening and didn't want to get in the middle of it. 

"No clue." Richard replied, glancing at Katai. She didn't glance back, but kept her eyes straight forward. "Wait, I think I saw something down there." He pointed down an alleyway entrance they were in front of, and Katai, anxious for a fight hoping that it was a demon who wanted to get its ass kicked.

"Really? What was it? Do you know?" Katai replied as her fists clenching, as she tried to hide the smile on her face. A fight, finally!

"It looked like a demon." Richard replied.

"Yes!" Katai took off at a dead run down the alley way, Richard following with a smirk on his face, a simple canter his way of getting to the destination.

When Katai reached the end of the alley, to a fence, and noticed that the other side was only a bunch of trash cans and abandoned streets, she sighed and leaned against the wall.

"Grrr…Stupid coward demon…."

"What's wrong?" Richard asked, walking into the area.

"That demon you said you saw ain't anywhere! Now tell me! Was he walking, running, or looking mischievous?"

Richard smiled plainly at her, walking up to her.

"Katai…there was no demon."

"Then why'd you lie to me!" She hollered at him. She began to glare when he put his hands on either side of her head and leaned down over her.

"How else would I get you into a secluded area?"

"You better not be thinking what I think you are!" She snapped, her fists clenching even tighter. It looked as if she might have her fight after all. "After all, I actually thought you were nice."

"Yes well, those that work for the Dark Lord, can't be nice can they?"

"What?"

"That's right. You all are such foolish detectives. I'm surprised you got as far as you did. Yes, I've been working with the Dark Lord. He promised me great power if I did, and alas, he hasn't failed. My illusions are quite powerful."

"Your illusions?"

"Yes, what else do you think my brothers and your friend are fighting with now, eh? My puppet is very lifelike, and a very good time keeper."

"But what about Amelia?" Katai growled.

"Oh her?" Richard chuckled. "She's been in the attic this entire time, tied up nice and tight. I may want power, but I'm not about to put my little sister in danger."

"Then why'd you put your brother's in danger!"

"They're not in danger. But your boyfriend is…"

"What!"

"Why else did you think I dragged you out here? We needed Seika by himself. Together, you are all a nuisance, but alone, you're all weaklings. The Dark Lord asked me to set things up, so I stuck Amelia in the attic, wrote out the letter on her bed, sent my brothers and Haku to the Eiffel Tower, and dragged you out here with me, now Seika is virtually helpless."

"Oh really?" Katai smirked, as Richard leaned in.

"Yes, he is. Now, since we're here, you might as well kiss me. If you don't, I'll have to force you to."

"Kiss this!"

* * *

"Seika, What's going on?" Satou shouted, staring at the demons. 

"Apparently the Dark Lord planned it out. Where's my staff? Do you girls know?" Seika asked, glancing at the girls.

Both shook their heads.

"I think it's at the hotel." Tsuki replied.

"No time for thinking that! They're here!" Satou cried, pulling the dagger from her belt. Tsuki followed suite and pulled her yo-yo out, spinning it around as she prepared to fight.

Seika glanced around. The demons were coming in, and he was alone without anyone with experience to help him. He'd have to handle it alone, unless he wanted his father and Hiei after him for letting the girls fight.

"Inside!" He hollered, pushing the girls through the open door.

"Hey! We want to help! We're on this mission too!" Satou shouted.

"You're here to watch, not fight. That comes later! Get your butts inside now!"

"But—!"

"No buts!"

He slammed the door on the girls, making sure to lock it as he did, and he sighed as they began to beat on it, yelling that they wanted to help too.

Knowing this was the best way to keep them safe, and that these demons were after him and would leave the girls alone, he balled up his fists, and waited for the demons to come.

When they came close, he released an array of spirit daggers at them, his best airborne offense, but, apparently, the demons had a shield that deflected spirit energy, for it made no affect on them.

"Damn!" He hollered. A few demons landed away from him and with a growl, he began to take a fighting stance, prepared to fight him the best way he could.

The demons came up to him, about a foot away. The first one smirked, showing bloody teeth.

"Now now, you know why we're here." He cackled.

"Yeah, to get your asses kicked!"

"Seika!" he heard the voice just as his staff flew through the air, and struck the demon ear. It came out the other side and the demon fell, his blood splattering the ground. Just as the blood hit, a mass of green flew up in front of Seika's nose, and spread over the entire street before where he stood, killing all of the demons that were on the ground and within reach with sharp spikes on the end. He watched their blood ooze down the flanks as Katai came running in next to him.

"You okay." She asked huffing, before her eyes caught to the bamboo. "What the hell happened?"

"That's what I want to know. Where'd you get my staff?"

"I teleported and picked it up; figured you'd need it."

"How'd you know I would need it?"

"Richard told me you were getting attacked. Apparently, he's the one that kidnapped Amelia and sent Haku and the others over to the Eiffel Tower, and to keep you by yourself, so he dragged me off. He's been working for the Dark Lord since before we got here."

"So the Dark Lord knew we'd be here. Wait, if he told you that, then where is he?"

"Oh him? He tried to kiss me so I whooped his ass. He's now hanging from a lantern somewhere down there. Where's Satou and Tsuki?" Katai replied, pointing down the side walk.

"We're in here! Seika won't let us out! We want to kick ass too!" Satou shouted through the door.

"Hey! I better not here that word come out of your mouth again." Seika shouted at the door.

"Yeah, well you're not my brother."

"No, I'm your cousin! But I can tell your brother!"

"But you cuss too!"

"I'm old enough. You're eight."

"But Haku cussed at this age!"

"Are you Haku?"

"No."

"Okay then. Argument settled." Seika replied as he opened up the door to let the girls out.

"So, you say Amelia's in the attic?"

Katai nodded. "Yep, I guess we should let her out huh?"

"Yeah, and I have a feeling Haku sent us the bamboo. We'll have to thank him when he gets back."

"Yeah, once he figures out he's beating an illusion."

"I don't think we'll have to wait long." Seika replied, pointing at the sky. It was suddenly clearing up, revealing a nice blue color and some white clouds. The bamboo shrunk down as people came out of their homes, and the demons began to evaporate on the ground.

"We better get to Amelia." Katai replied, jogging up the stairs two at a time.

Seika nodded and followed, along with Tsuki and a very agitated Satou at their heels.

Once at the top, they managed to locate Amelia behind a few boxes, and instantly untied her ropes and gag.

"Where's Richard?" She asked instantly. Katai took her arm, dragged her to the window, and pointed down the side walk.

"Get a pair of binoculars, magnify them by two fold, and you'll see him hanging under a light down that way."

"Okay." Amelia sighed in relief. "I'm glad you did that. Donce would have made the punishment much worse."

"Worse? How can he make it worse?" He asked as the group headed down the stairs.

"He walks out in public and spanks him as if he's a little kid. It's very embarrassing to him."

"Donce doesn't get embarrassed?" Katai asked, a brow cocked.

"No. Not really, because he knows that it's effective; otherwise Rick would be grounded on a daily basis with Richard across the hall from him with the same punishment. They're usually rather rowdy."

"Why would Rick get punished?"

"He's a thief. He steals things. He stopped though, considering he doesn't want the embarrassment. But he's good at what he does."

"Yeah, we noticed." Seika replied, thinking about when Rick picked the lock to Amelia's room. He wondered if she ever had trouble with privacy.

"Don't worry about the lock." Amelia replied. "I usually put some energy into it so Rick doesn't pick it."

Seika nearly tripped when he heard that.

"What!"

"I read minds. It's a skill of mine. Just like Richard can create Illusions, Rick can pick locks and use Chinese needles, and Donce can make people invisible."

"Wow? I'm amazed you guys haven't become famous thieves right now, with all of those skills under your command as a family. Richard can make the guards think no one's there, Donce can make you invisible passing up people in the halls, you could read minds to find out where the stuff you want is, and then Rick could pick the locks and get to it.

"Amazing." Katai said, thinking about all of the money that she could get her hands on if she had those abilities.

"Yes. We thought about it once before, but Donce wouldn't have it. He wanted us to be honest like our parents were. We decided to respect the decision."

"Yeah, well Richard apparently forgot that."

"Are you all, all right?" They heard a voice shout from downstairs. The group instantly ran downstairs to find Haku, Donce, and Rick huffing in the door way, Niko shrinking down in size, as he was apparently their mode of transportation.

"Amelia!" Haku shouted, running over to her and hugging her.

"Aw, how adorable!" Seika murmured just to tease, and Haku instantly jumped away from her, his cheeks red as he glared at the other detective.

"No, go on Haku! We don't mind." Katai added on to it, a big smile plastered to her face.

"I'm glad you all are all right." Donce replied, coming over to Seika and the others.

"What happened to the road outside?"

"That was me." Haku answered instead. "I put that there."

"But Haku, how did you know?" Seika asked as he took a seat on the couch. Tsuki and Satou had already forgotten the moment and were again transfixed on their cartoons.

Haku smiled, slumped in a chair with Amelia sitting next to him, and waited for everyone else to sit down. When they did, he explained himself.

"Well, when Seika told me he had had a dream of bamboo tickling him, it got me thinking. Then when we found out that Amelia had been kidnapped, I almost certainly knew they were trying to separate us from you in one way or another, so I figured I would set that trap up just in case. It's triggered by blood so, any sort of fight would start them growing."

"Didn't you think about what would happen if we got in the way?" Katai hollered, jumping to her feet. "Like what if I wanted to kick ass and I was in the way!"

"Katai, that's no language to speak in front of the children." Donce replied as he glanced at Tsuki and Satou.

"You might as well hold your tongue man. She doesn't care." Seika whispered as Katai had indeed ignored him and continued with her rant.

When she was finished, Haku smirked.

"Seika said he was tickled by bamboo in the dream. Not being cut up or watching you die in the process. Gaia would tell him such if it happened."

Katai stopped talking, glared at Haku, and then sat down with a huff and folded her arms.

They were silent for a moment, before Rick finally asked the question he was dying to ask.

"Guys…Why was Richard hanging from a lamp post a few blocks down from here?"

At that, Katai and Seika busted out laughing, with Amelia giving off a small chuckle and Satou and Tsuki just laughing so that they could laugh.

Rick glared as if it were stupid to give this reply, and Donce shrugged at him, as he was wondering the same thing. Haku sighed, assuming that he already knew the answer.

"He was trying to come on to me, so I kicked his ass!"

"You did what!" Rick shouted, leaping to his feet.

"Yeah, what are you so worked up about!"

"You…you beat him in…But…But I can't even do that and he's deserved it for a while now…"

"I don't understand…"Katai mumbled.

"You never do." Haku replied as Donce scratched the back of his head.

"What Rick means is that he spars with Richard quite a bit and he usually loses. To have him be beaten by some one else, and if I'm right coming from Rick's way of thought, to a girl, is almost embarrassing to him.

"No kidding." Seika whispered to himself, watching as Katai quirked a brow.

Rick growled and walked around the couches, leaving towards his room.

"Hey! Don't tell me you're just walking away!" Donce shouted up.

"What else does it look like to you?" Rick replied, before slamming his door.

Donce sighed again, rubbing his temples. "Excuse him. He's a little mad now. He'll be better later when he cools off."

They talked a little after, explaining to Donce and Haku what happened and why Richard was where he was, when Seika instantly shot to his feet.

"The puzzle piece…It's…Its here…"

"Where?" Katai and Haku said at the same time, also leaping to their feet.

Seika turned and pointed up at Rick's room. "There. It's in there."

"Rick has it?" Donce inquired as he and Amelia stood up and led them up to the room.

Donce opened the door, surprised to find it open, as Rick sat on his bed, the puzzle piece in his hands.

"Fredrick! You had it!" Donce shouted, coming into the room.

Rick didn't even look up when he answered. "Yeah, what's it to you?"

"You know they've been looking for that, and you hid it from them!"

"We didn't know you had it! How'd you get it out?" Seika inquired, his eyes stuck on the piece in Rick's hands.

They heard Rick sigh. "It ain't from me. It's from a very good friend of mine."

"What friend? I don't remember this…oh…wait…"

"Yeah…Lenny…He…He had it…You see, about a year ago, I was good friends with this guy named Lenny." Rick began as everyone else flooded into the room and found themselves seats. "He was the only person I could ever trust, even over my family…and seeing Richard's actions, you can tell why…But, Lenny had trouble with some sort of gang here…So much trouble he was afraid for his life….Well, one day I was walking with him to school, when he suddenly shoved me into a garbage can…I tried to ask him what was wrong but he held his hand over the lid and Lenny…Lenny was strong…I couldn't see what happened but…I heard gun shots and suddenly…everything was quiet…When I came out, I only found blood and Lenny was staring at the sky…dead…I tried to save him…I hoped he were still alive, but he died as soon as the bullets hit him…" Rick fought with his tears, running his arm over his eyes wildly and angrily as if it would help. "But…I couldn't help and he was dead. I went to leave, when this appeared out of Lenny's body. I took it, and ran, and…I've had it ever since. I didn't tell you guys because I didn't want to loose the only thing I had of Lenny…but, when I was with Haku and we went after Amelia…I came to realize something…You're trying to save someone that died to you…and considering I couldn't save my friend, doesn't mean I should stop you from saving yours…I want you to take this puzzle piece with you, and bring your leader back." Rick stood up and placed the puzzle piece in Seika's hands. "But I better not hear you failed otherwise I'm gonna come lookin' for you!"

"Ah!" Katai shouted, leaping up and hugging Rick. He fell back on the bed as Seika began to growl silently. _'Katai!'_

"Sorry about that!" Katai apologized when she let Rick go and stood up. "I was just so glad you gave us that piece. You don't know how much you just helped us with it."

"Yes, thank you very much." Haku replied as Satou and Tsuki came over and hugged Rick around the waist.

"I'll be able to see my brother again!" Satou shouted up, squeezing Rick tight.

"Kenya'll be saved!" Tsuki added.

Rick's look of surprise was priceless, as he rarely showed anything other than anger, and Donce and Amelia couldn't help but smile…

When all thank yous and apologies completed, the Japanese detectives headed back to the hotel to gather their luggage. Haku called his mother to inform her that they needed plane tickets to their next destination, Spain, and then the group met back up with Donce and the others, as they had already decided that they would accompany the detectives to Paris, where their flight would take off in two hours.

They clambered into the train, rode it over, with Richard tied up in a compartment as Donce had decided to pull him off the lamp post, all beaten and bloody, and take him with them, and then they waved good bye as they climbed on the plane. Haku waved good bye to Amelia, and the family itself, as Yoru suddenly showed up at the plane station to take her ticket.

"About time you showed up!" Seika snarled as Yoru glared at him.

"Like you ever need me. You can handle things yourself I'm sure." She told him as she boarded the plane with everyone else. Once there, she sat near a window and smirked at Rick, whom glared back at her. It only helped to broaden her smile.

The plane took off ten minutes later, and the group was off to Spain.

"Hey Haku." Seika smiled, poking the young boy in the shoulder. Katai smirked from next to him. "Are you going to miss Amelia?"

"Yeah, you guys looked like you would make a nice couple back there! It almost made me sick 'cuz it was so cute!" Katai replied, a large grin on her face.

"I may miss seeing her, but I have her e-mail address, her phone number, and her cell number should we need to talk to each other."

The plane seemed very quiet after that, as Seika and Katai stared at Haku as if there was something wrong.

"I'm just kidding guys. She doesn't have a cell phone and I only have her e-mail address. Calm down." He told them.

It didn't really help much, for they were stuck in shock, and Haku was stuck listening to him comment on it for the rest of the trip to the next place.

* * *

Catse: Okay, now I know I ended it off rather quick, but there wasn't much else for them to say in my opinion. So now their going to Spain. Please, if anyone has some tips on the customs or even the area layout they would be of much help! Thanks a bunch! Ja Ne for now! 


	17. Eh?

Catse: OMG! It's been such a long time since I updated! Sorry about that. School's been evil! T.T Okay well, now that this is updated, I want to thank Dragon and Sword Master for beta-ing, and apologize to everyone for the long wait. I also have to say that it may be a long time from now on for updates. Not only am I having trouble in school and such, but it's getting hard for me to find time and sit down with the constant calls from my friends, the homework, and now I'm getting a job on computer if the job goes through. So yeah, it may be a while until the next update. But I will try! Okay, with that out of the way,here's the story.

* * *

Disclaimer: See chappie one...

* * *

"So this is Spain? Wow! It smells so weird here!" Katai remarked as she clambered off the plane, dragging her luggage with her. Seika followed, yawning. 

"Is smell the only thing that matters to you?" He asked.

"When hungry, Yes." Katai replied with a huge grin as Haku, Tsuki, Satou, and Yoru clambered off the plane.

"I'm merely surprised that the first words out of your mouth were how strange this place is." Haku commented, glancing at his watch. It was only five in the afternoon, and no one would probably even think that they were just in France a few hours prior. "For now, let's concern ourselves with getting transportation and getting to the small area of lodgings mother booked us. We're going to need to start hunting immediately."

"Yeah." Seika agreed, his voice becoming serious for a moment. "We don't want Sifirus dealing us anymore trouble."

"Yes, this is why from now on we're going to have to have parties scattered around the city in search for any foul play." Haku agreed, glancing around.

"One question." Katai remarked as Satou began to take pictures of the area, Tsuki pointing out separate things.

"Yes?"

"Are we supposed to be meeting someone here?"

"No. We are to gain transportation and get ourselves to the small hotel we're to stay at. Our detectives are supposed to meet us in the square after that."

"Don't get into trusting them." Yoru remarked, stepping by them. "You don't want a repeat of last time."

She had decided to wear a most menacing outfit this time, with heavy black jeans and a tank top with a turtle neck but no sleeves. A large leather cloak flowed around her, as she stepped on thick steel toe leather boots with enough latches to drive a perfectionist off the edge. On either hip she held swords in which were hid by the cloak, and her long silky black hair was kept in a pony tail. Considering how easily spooked many of the Spanish were, and how very superstitious they had come to be, she wore sun glasses to hide her reddish eyes. As no one else in the group had such menacing eyes, she was the only one in need of hiding them. That and she wanted to hide in the shadows, not shine like a bright star in the moonlit sky.

"No kidding. Thanks for the advice." Seika remarked rather sarcastically, as Yoru turned, dropped her sunglasses, and gave him a menacing glare. He returned the favor by glaring back.

"Watch your ass cat boy. You may find a rather tasty friend in your bed one of these nights."

"Yeah, well if that happens I'll eat him and tell you if he's tasty or not."

Yoru smirked, replaced her glasses, and began walking independently towards the airport building, scaring a few crew men whom had been walking past her and had received the chills upon seeing her appearance.

"She wears black to hide herself and she still scares the crap out of the people around her. I swear, sometimes I wonder if she really is human?" Seika acknowledged.

"She isn't. She's three fourths demon." Haku said nonchalantly.

"Oh, right."

"Idiot! Come on before Yoru leaves us in the dust! Not like she hasn't done it before you know!" Katai hollered, running towards the air port building.

Seika began to run after her, with Satou and Tsuki chasing them just for the fun of running, while Haku pressed his glasses up closer to his face, stuck his hands in his pockets, and followed calmly, his pack of clothes on his shoulders.

Catching a Taxi wasn't difficult.

Because Haku was already very fluent in Spanish, he merely had to say a few words and they were gone.

When they reached the hotel, an old woman stood out waiting for them, a loose orange outfit wrapped around her large frame.

"You've come for the rooms?" She asked in perfect Spanish.

"Yes." Haku replied. "They are still vacant aren't they?"

"Yes. Come this way."

She led them towards a short hall of raggedy old doors. Once there, she passed Haku the keys, pointed out which rooms where theirs, and left.

Because this place was so small, they could only get two rooms, so all of the girls would have to share the larger of the two, which was the largest room there with two beds and a couch, and Seika and Haku, as always, would take the last room. Of course, it would probably be no trouble to Katai for her room situation. Yoru never slept in the room. She always found an alternative. In addition, with two beds, Katai still got her own while the other two girls slept. Not like anyone that would, sleep on the same bed with her would survive however. She had a habit of sleep walking to a fighting dream, and known to wake up with various objects and things destroyed, but how she didn't know.

Once, in her room, she had accidentally stood up on the bed fighting her dream opponent, and the fan above her bed hit her head and knocked her down, waking her up instantly. As a result, she had a red V-mark on her forehead and a broken fan she had torn up after the experience.

Haku tossed one set of keys to Katai, before opening the boys' room and stepping in. It was simple, slightly smelly from the hot summer day and the light cleaning it had endured for their visit, with only a rickety door to separate the bathroom from the actual room.

"Wow. This place is pretty old." Seika murmured, setting his stuff down on one of the beds. He wasn't surprised when it recoiled a gasp and sighed back into position, showing that its springs were rusty.

"Yes well, all of the hotels here are booked because of tourists. This is the best she could come up with."

"That's fine. We probably ain't going to be here long anyways right?"

"No." Haku answered.

"Well, do we get going?"

Haku nodded.

"Make sure you carry your things with you though."

"Why?"

"Because people have been known to break into hotel rooms and steal things. Many of the people here don't have much money. We can't risk anything being taken."

"Oh, right. Okay. Well, let's get going."

* * *

"So Koenma, since you called us all together maybe you can give us a report or something on how our kids are doing." Yusuke remarked, leaning against the door. Since finding out he was a demon and going through the tournament, he had taken to a strange habit of leaning against the wall, similar to an actual demon that didn't want his or her back shown to anyone. Most everyone just figured he'd hung around Hiei too long. 

Koenma walked in circles on his desk, piles of paper on the sides, left for signing later.

He stopped, glanced up to notice everyone there, being Hiei, Kurama, Yusuke, and Kuwabara, and sighed.

"Alright, right now they are in Spain and they have already collected four pieces of the puzzle."

"Only four?" Kurama inquired, his eyes becoming somewhat surprised. His wife did the details of the hotel, but with how busy Haku was on the mission, he didn't have time to stop and inform them on anything. Their only communications was through the watch that Haku reported through.

"Yes. They were held up in France for three days. Apparently one of the detectives was working to confuse them and keep them there."

"But they got the piece there right?" Kuwabara asked, slouched in a chair.

"Yes. It took them some time, but they have it."

"Then why'd you call us here?" Yusuke asked with his arms folded.

Koenma's eyes turned bleak. "It's apparent that the Dark Lord is much smarter than we thought. He's somehow keeping his eyes on the detectives, and slowing them down whenever he can. But as to why he hasn't placed a full assault on them yet is to what I'm confused on."

"What do you mean?" Kuwabara asked.

"Well. You see, considering the intelligence of this Dark Lord, and what your children are going through to collect the pieces, there is only a slim chance they will be able to complete the mission and bring Kenya back. Considering the obstacles, the Dark Lord doesn't sound like someone that would allow them to continue with their plan with doubt that they will succeed. He likes things permanent, so that he knows he will win. However, if that were the case, why would he be sending such weak enemies, or such meager forces? He has many powerful beings under him but it's like he's saving them for last. He's planning something and I'm worried as to what."

"So you want us to go in there, kick his ass, get what we need, and leave right?"

"Yusuke, use your brain! It won't be that easy! The Dark Lord would never allow you close enough! However, if I'm correct by what I've heard from the detectives of the places Seika's team has visited, Kenya is there within the Dark Lord's castle somewhere in Demon World. There's a good chance that if you snuck in there and freed his spirit, perhaps he may know the plan or at least the reason for the Dark Lord's calm display over the teams mission. Since you are all left here, I want you all to get into that castle, find Kenya, and break him from his imprisonment."

"Oh I see. A recovery mission eh? Sounds interesting. When do we leave?" Yusuke snarled, a large grin on his face as he cracked his knuckles.

"As soon as possible. Take about an hour to prepare yourselves and then go to Demon World and do research. Find out the location of that castle and then get inside. It won't be easy, but you should be used to missions that aren't."

"No sweat! I've been eager to beat somethin' in the ground ever since Katai left. This looks like it may finally be my chance."

Yusuke gave off one of his familiar chuckles and ran out the door, leaping for joy. Kurama smiled, following him out as Kuwabara scratched his head, wondering if the mission was a good idea for a guy whose demon blood hadn't been awake for years, and Hiei merely glared at the ground and followed.

He was somewhat glad Koenma had given them the mission. He wanted to get his son out of that demon hole. Kenya wasn't someone's souvenir! He was the next male koorime in a line of people that really lacked men. Hiei had been eager to fight someone for months, same as Yusuke, and even more since Kenya died. It made his blood boil to think someone would kill his son just for something as stupid as controlling the world, as seemed to be every bad guys wish these days. His son…His only son…

Hiei give a wild smirk at the thought of strangling the Dark Lord, beating his head into the ground maybe, and then setting him in a pond full of demonic piranha…

Yeah…piranha…

Kurama glanced back long enough to notice the wild excitement in Hiei's eyes. He already knew what was running through his short friends head, and wasn't surprised when he disappeared as soon as they were out of the castle. Hiei was going to go off and train for a while, most likely attacking and killing off some of the demons in demon world just to make sure he was in shape.

As for Yusuke and Kuwabara, they would most likely spar with each other, tell their wives at the last minute that they were on a mission (at least in Yusuke's case), and then meet back up at someone's house ready and raring to go.

As for Kurama, he was going to go home, tell Jennifer where he had to go stock up on a few seeds and grow a few things to make sure he was still in shape, and then head over to Hiei's house to talk with Suta. After all, she needed all of the comfort she could get. Her eldest daughter wanted to kill her already dead son, her daughter was on a dangerous mission for world peace and her husband was about ready to kill something. Kurama sometimes wondered how Suta survived with someone like Hiei as a husband, but then again, he sometimes wondered how Hiei was able to survive with someone like Suta. Suta could be quite vicious when she was mad, and Kurama sometimes found Hiei sitting in the tree out front in the yard, mumbling something about dodging swords and she being scarier than surviving in demon world. Don't get him wrong, Suta was a very sweet, gentle natured woman. It was only that her cat demon blood had a habit of taking over every once in a while, when she was especially mad, and everyone cleared away from her, including Yoru which was a strange site compared to how vicious she was on occasion.

Kurama sighed. I hope that and with much luck in territory and ability, they'd be able to break Kenya out and keep him safe until their children gathered all of the pieces. Just hopefully…

* * *

"So this is Spain…It looks like a giant flea-market." Seika mumbled aloud as they strode down the dirt paved streets. Satou was busy taking pictures of things as Tsuki pointed out pretty jewels and pots, while Katai grumbled about wanting something to eat and Haku read a book on customs for Spain, just to refresh that of which he already studied. How he could walk and read at the same time was beyond Seika, but then again, he could do many things they weren't sure possible, so it was nothing new. 

"No kidding. And it's sooooo hooooottt!" Katai growled, running her arm across her forehead for the umpteenth time.

"Spain is known for their strange climate. The days are very hot, while the nights are very cold. You'll be wishing it was warm tonight." Haku mumbled, his eyes not even leaving his book as he did so.

"Thanks a lot hotshot. I feel so much better now." Katai snarled back, scratching her arm.

"You're welcome."

"So Haku, what piece are we looking for here? Any clues?"

Haku snapped his book shut and shoved it in his pocket. He carried with him two bags. The back pack with his belongings, and then the bag with the puzzle pieces. Why he wanted to carry them was beyond everyone, but they figured he was just being protective.

"The rat if I'm correct. Do you sense anything yet?"

"No." Seika said aloud. "Are you sure we're in the right city?"

"Yes. We're in Bilbao. Koenma told us the piece would be here, and he's yet to be wrong about it."

"I still have no idea how Koenma knows where these pieces are going to be. I mean, did Gaia know where the pieces were going to go when she created the puzzle?" came Katai.

Haku pressed the glasses on his nose closer to his eyes before answering.

"I'm not sure. In all actuality, I believe someone was entrusted the puzzle pieces to hide, and then wrote a scroll on it, if that's what Koenma is reading. It could be a book."

"But why would someone get the pieces and hide them. Wouldn't he want the power too?"

"Seika, I already told you. I'm not sure of the details so questions are pointless at the moment."

"Okay fine. Didn't mean to tick the Child Genius off…" Seika mumbled under his breath.

"I heard that cat boy…" Haku replied; using the phrase, he had heard Yoru use on him earlier.

"Don't you start calling me that too! I'm not a cat! Hell, I'm not even demon!" Seika remarked, growling. "I only have a demon soul!"

"Yeah, well having that's better than being miss-matched demon right? Unlike Yoru, Kenya, and Satou who're one fourth cat, one half koorime, and one fourth human." Katai replied while her eyes fixed on a few knives out for display. When she went to check them out Seika snatched her by the ear and dragged her behind him.

"Come on blade-happy. We have to go to the square remember? We've got to meet these so called detectives."

"Oh! But they're so shiny and sharp! And they have cool handles!" Katai griped. Seika dragged her behind him, her arms still flailing in a sad attempt to snatch a knife even though they were a good ten feet away already.

Haku shook his head, plucked the book back out from his pocket, and got back to reading once more.

* * *

Catse: There you go! I know it's a bit short, but bare with me, as I've luckily already started the next chapter and am working on getting it finished! Heheheheeh! But because of the terrible trouble I've done to you because I haven't updated, I'll give you a sneak peak of chapter 18:

_"The HELL?" Katai growled, chasing after the kids. "They took my stuff!" _

_"Mine too!" Seika also yelled, following behind Katai. Satou stopped, took a picture, and followed, as Tsuki following behind with a huge smile on her face as if this were an adventure._

See you next chapter!


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